


Finding a Life

by LovelyLadyEden



Series: Finding a Life [1]
Category: Ed Edd n Eddy
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-11
Updated: 2017-04-17
Packaged: 2018-05-19 18:32:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 25
Words: 54,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5976912
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LovelyLadyEden/pseuds/LovelyLadyEden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Edd started his senior year of High School but also decided to take college classes. A new friend gives him a different perceptive on life and himself. Others at the Cul-De-Sac take notice as the neighborhood genius starts to blossom, come out of his shell. But, this change brings on challenges that Edd may not want to face, not alone anyways. (Nat belongs to c2ndy2c1d)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. First Day of Class

**Hello lovely people. This is my first KevEdd story so I am still trying to get my bearings. I hope you enjoy.**

* * *

 

  The sun had only been up for a little while yet in the cul-de-sac but some of the houses had lights on. Parents were leaving for work, leaving sleepy eyed teens with breakfasts to prepare them for the first day back.  The high school was not too far away so most of the kids just walk to school. A few had cars but it wasn’t really worth the gas money to most. Only rainy days and running late meant made such transportation needed. But one kid in the cul-de-sac was not headed for the school just yet. In the Vincent house, Edd was packing his bag efficiently. The front half of his messenger bag dedicated to his senior year and the other to his first college class. His adviser talked with him about taking a semester at a local college and if the first semester went well he would take two in the spring. Edd liked the idea of getting a jump start on his college career and his parents agreed that it would be beneficial for his mental stimulation as an experiment.

  Most of the previous night had been spent choosing an outfit for the morning. Eddy had told him he needed to dress differently for college, like it was a different planet then their high school. His ‘dorky clothes’, as Eddy crudely put it, would make him stand out in front of his classmates. Edd knew that Eddy was only trying to help but it was the only way Eddy knew how to talk to Edd. With help from the internet, Edd finally settled on a pair of black skinny jeans and a plum v-neck with converse. To top it all off, Edd pulled on his beanie. The hat had become a comfort blanket for him and he never left the house without it. Only a few people had seen him without it on. It had become a habit to pull the brim over his eyes when he was embarrassed as if no one could see him if he could not see them. His mother thought it was endearing while his father told him that he needed to face his problems instead of hiding. He took his father’s words to heart but the habit still ensued anyways.  

  Edd smiled at his organized bag and headed downstairs. The house was empty as usually. His parents spend most of their time recently in other states or even out of the country, where ever their jobs took them. An email from his parents wished him luck on his first day and that they would be home for Thanksgiving. Edd sent polite thanks back and that he looked forward to their appearance during the holiday season.

  After a quick, nutritious breakfast, Edd grabbed his bag and headed out the door. His companions, Ed and Eddy, were most likely not even up yet so he did not have to worry about waiting for anyone. He loved his friends but disturbed his perfect attendance record more than he would like to admit. There were a few times that Ed had picked up his two friends and ran so that they would not be late. Their large friend was surprisingly strong and athletic. Edd could still remember the look on Eddy’s face when the football coach came over to them at lunch and asking Ed to join to football team. He had seen one of Ed’s frantic sprints into the school and saw talent in the boy. Ed had fun chasing down the football when the other team was in possession of the ball. After a good tackle, he would stand up, find his friends in the crowd and say ‘look guys, I got’im’ before running back to the team. At first Ed was not really accepted on the team but after his first practice the guys made their peace with the big guy. He was good and they knew it.

  Edd, lost in thought, jumped as he heard as a motorcycle speed past him. It was none other than Kevin Barr, his neighbor across the street. When they were children, he was a tormentor and bully. There were many summer days that the Ed’s spent running away from the ginger boy. It was usually Eddy’s fault that they were being chased but Kevin took it out on all three of them. But things changed when puberty hit the cul-de-sac, Kevin seemed to turn his attentions elsewhere, lucky for the Ed’s. New friends were introduced to the kids that had only known the other neighborhood kids. Kevin and Edd had a few classes together over their middle and high school years and they were polite to one another.

  Kevin disappeared around the corner and Edd continued his walk to the bus stop. He sat on the bench and picked at the hem of his shirt, a nervous habit. Edd was about to enter a new world of academia and the fear of the unknown made him uncomfortable. There would be older students around and he rarely interacted with people older than him other than parents, teachers, and Eddy’s brother- if he could not avoid him. College kids were another breed of student, more sure of themselves than high school students.

  A few other people came up to the bus stop, waiting as well. The bus eventually came and Edd took a seat to the front, his bag in his lap. The bus was half full, people commuting to work and school as well. There was little noise on the bus so Edd pulled his head phones out of his bag and listened to classical as he was driven farther into the city. The college, Peach Creek State, was only a ten minute bus ride away. Edd had memorized the bus schedule so that he would never be late for class, neither college nor high school. His parents asked if he needed a car but Edd refused, to many hazards and unpredictability. The bus was just fine for him.

  The bus finally rolled up to the college and Edd disembarked. There were many students milling around the front of the buildings, talking to other students or staring at campus maps and schedule. Edd pulled out his phone and pulled up the map on his phone, his direct path to class marked. Preparedness lead to success, Edd always said. His class was in the science building on the third floor. His advisor wanted him to take a freshman class but he opted for the introduction to psychology lecture, a second year class. With his test scores, the college allowed it as Edd knew they would. He wanted his first college class to be thought-provoking, not some filler class.

  Edd was early to the class, as he scheduled. There were a few people in the room but there were many seats to choose from in the large auditorium classroom. His first instinct was to take the front, center seat but Eddy told him the middle, center seats would be more beneficial both academically and socially. Since Edd did not know how college worked and if he would get bullied, he decided that he would rather be safe then unprepared.

  After wiping a seat quickly with a wet nap and let it dry, Edd sat down and got out his laptop, a gift from his parents. They were going to give him one after he graduated but his mother thought it would be more favorable to have it now. It came in the mail a few weeks ago, letting Edd set up the system as he pleased before schools start. All of my projects transferred from my desktop to my new computer. I broke down folders for my college class for lecture notes, homework, and personal notes, ready for the upcoming learning.

  As if some silent bell rang, students poured into the classroom. The noise level reminded Edd a little of his high school cafeteria. There were many smiles and jokes. I wasn’t really noticed by the other students who seemed acquainted with the idea of new students. The students looked a few years older than me, which lined up well with second year students.

  Seats filled quickly but there were enough space between clusters of students. I was pulling out my syllabus when someone slid into the seat next to me. Trying not to be bold and stare at whoever took the chair next to me, I looked out of the corner of my eye at my classmate. His hair was teal, shocking and edgy. His attitude was casual, waving to others in the room. With a few years on Edd, he looked at ease with his body, leaning back slightly in his chair. Before Edd could avert his eyes, his classmate looked over at him. His ear burned with embarrassment at getting caught looking at a stranger.

 

* * *

 

  Nate had been running late for class, as usual. He had a hard time finding good parking in the crowded parking lot. It annoyed him that the best spots were reserved for facility and staff members. Students had more to carry so why did the professors get front spots. On his walk to his class room, he smiled and waved at people he knew from classes or study groups. Girls giggled and waved back while the guys nodded back. Nate had enjoyed his college life so far. He was glad to be out on his own finally, even if he had to work lots of hours to pay rent and have pocket money for whatever he pleased.

  He didn’t like morning classes but this was the only class he had until later on. Nate thought 8:30 morning classes were evil. His morning coffee was drunk on the car ride over, burning his tongue slightly. A mint rolled around in his mouth, getting the coffee taste out of his mouth. Coffee breath was not a good first impression or second impression for that matter. Finally ducking into the classroom, Nat looked for a seat. He usually sat in the back but all of those seats were taken. The front seats were out of the question. There was an open seat in the center of the group next to a guy he had never seen on campus, which puzzled Nat. This was a second year class so all of the students had taken their freshman classes together. He looked younger than his classmate and didn’t talk to anyone around him. He wore a black beanie, covering most of his hair.

  ‘Strange,’ Nat thought, walking up the stairs. Chairs scooted forward to let him pass by until he was at the open seat. The guy looked at Nat out of the corner of his eyes, as if he was sizing him up. Nat made sure not to make eye contact as a few more people called out to him in greeting. When he looked back, his classmate noticed his gaze on him and looked at his desk, a light blush on his face. Nate smiled at his shyness.

“Hi, I’m Nat.” Nat extended his hand to Edd.

  Edd was shocked that Nat was talking to him, use to being ignored by strangers. The smile from Nat was even more surprising. It was bright and relaxed. A smile turned girls into puddles of goo and made guys smile back.

 “Greeting, m-my name is Eddward. But m-my friends call me Edd,” Edd stuttered and shook Nat’s hand.

Nat was surprised how soft Edd’s hand was, how small it was. It was like holding hands with a girl.

“It’s nice to meet you Edd. Did you transfer from another college?”

Edd shook his head. “I am actually a senior from Peach Creek High School and I am attending college at the same time. I am a freshman at this college.”

  Nat was shocked. Edd was still in high school but was in a second year psychology class, a tough class. He must have been about 17 or 18 then. Nat was almost 20. His age accounted for his small stature.

“Dude, either you are a genius or your adviser signed you up for the wrong class.”

Edd laughed, his hand going up to cover his mouth so not to show the gap in his two front teeth. Nat only caught a glimpse of it before Edd stopped laughing.

“I have the intelligence quotient of 140 so I would lean more towards the genius notion then the terrible scheduling of Mrs. Paths.”

Nat let out a low whistled. “Dang, I call dibs when partner projects come up.”

  Edd blushed and looked away, his heart fluttered. This reaction was strange, he thought. Most people knew he was smart and asked him to work with them when group work was presented from teachers. Eddy or Ed was usually the first to claim him but there have been other people, classmates have asked him for help over the years. Eddy tried to convince Eddy to charge for tutoring sessions but Edd did not need the money. His parents set up an account for him, monitored purchases, and made sure that Edd had what he needed.

  Laughter from Nat pulled Edd back to the present. He flashed another smile and opened his mouth to say something but the professor called for the class’s attention. He was a small, thin man with glasses that never seemed to stay on the bridge of his nose, constantly fixing them. Nat liked Dr. Harper. He made boring studies fascinating and was the reason that Nat changed his major to psychology.

“Hello all welcome back to academia. I hope the break was full of reading and preparing for another wonderful semester rather than sleeping all day and celebrations.”

  Laughter filled the auditorium before Dr. Harper continued with the beginning of the lecture. “In this course will cover topics such as research methods, behavior, sensing and perceiving, memory, psychological disorders, and consciousness. We shall explore the inner workings of the human brain, looking at past and present methods in science and psychology. It is well known that I am fascinated with these topics and I hope I can make you all see them as I do so that you will become fascinated as well.”

  The lecture went on, going over the syllabus and the required text books for the course. Edd notated on his syllabus things he needed to remember for future dates. Nat had not pulled out anything to write with, just listened as Dr. Harper talked. Half the time was spent watching Edd, diligently taking notes, hanging on the professor’s every words. The way his hand glided with the pen was delicate, his handwriting as delicate as his movements. Nat wanted to pay attention to the lecture but got lost in the movement. Before Nat knew it, the class was over. The first day was always short, just going over the syllabus and answering questions. Edd was putting his things in his messenger bag, getting ready to leave.

  Nat quickly grabbed his bag and followed Edd to the front of the class, talking to Dr. Harper. The professor smiled and shook Edd’s hand and talked animatedly to his student. They talked for a couple minutes before Edd bowed slightly and excused himself. Nat fell into step with Edd in the hallway.

“Hey, I’m going to get some coffee. Would you like to join? I could show you around the campus.”

  Edd was startled that the sound of Nat’s voice, not realizing he was beside him. His mind was still thinking about other things. Being bullied for years, Edd flinched slightly. When someone was following him, it usually ended with violence or terror. Edd did not have an escape route planned, thinking he would not need one on the first day. Did Nat wish him harm? Why was he following him?

  “N-no thank you Nat, I must be heading to the bus stop to arrive on time to catch the next bus. I must attend classes at my high school.” Edd clutched the strap of his messenger bag, trying not to look frantic.

  Nat noticed Edd’s demeanor change. What had caused such a reaction from the small boy, Nat wondered. Maybe he was just jumpy but that did not seem to be the right answer, not the whole truth. It made Nat feel sad for some reason.

“Oh okay. Can I walk with you then? I have to go to my car to get my next textbook.” Nat gave Edd some space so as to not agitate or trigger him again.

“Of-f course,” Edd stuttered.

  They walked side by side at a safe distance, not talking. It was not awkward, surprisingly comfortable actually for the both of them. Nat saw a few more people he knew and Edd noticed that he did not stop to chat with them. Instead he kept walking with Edd, which Edd did not understand why.

  They finally reached the crowded bus stop. Students chatted about everything from class to jobs to relationships. Edd liked listening to others conversation. It was interesting hearing about other people’s daily lives and activities. The new crowd of people, college kids, introduced new, interesting situations to observe. Waiting for the bus would be interesting in the days to come.

“Well I guess this is where I take my leave,” Nat said, putting his hands in his pockets. “It was nice to meet you Edd.”

Edd smiled. “It was a pleasure to meet you as well Nat. I hope the rest of your day is productive.”

The bus pulled up and the crowd surged towards it. Nat and Edd stood together for a second before Edd followed.

“Hey Edd,” Nat called as Edd got on the bus. “See you Wednesday.”

  Nat smiled his dazzling smile before turning to leave. It was not long before he blended in with the crowd of students heading towards the parking lot. Edd took his seat, his heart racing. That smiled made his chest hurt yet confused him. As the bus pulled out of the campus parking lot and headed back out of the city towards the metropolitan that surrounded it, back towards his cul-de-sac. He may have been leaving but his mind was still on that campus.   

 

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**I will post more soon. I love reviews and such.**  


	2. A Meeting in the Hall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edd started his senior year of High School but also decided to take college classes. A new friend gives him a different perceptive on life and himself. Others at the Cul-De-Sac take notice as the neighborhood genius starts to blossom, come out of his shell. But, this change brings on challenges that Edd may not want to face, not alone anyways. (Nat belongs to c2ndy2c1d)

**Welcome back for another chapter of _Finding a Life_! I hope you are enjoying it so far.**

* * *

 

Kevin was groggy from waking up so early but he wanted to work out before the day started. He was not out of shape, summer football camp made sure of that fact. But he always felt awake after lifting weights or running. On the way to school, Kevin rode past Double D, the sound of his motorcycle startling to boy. Kevin chuckled at how jumpy the dork was. Edd had always been like that, even when they were kids.

He got to school and there were not a lot of people on the campus yet. After parking in his assigned spot then headed to the locker room. Being the captain of the football team had its advantages such as a permanent locker to keep his work out gear and football uniforms. Kevin changed and went to the weight room, unlocking the door with the key that coach gave him during the summer training season. Yep, the perks were pretty awesome.

After a good, sweaty work out and a quick shower, Kevin checked his watch. It was almost time for home room to start. He shoved his workout clothes in his gym locker and headed towards his school locker. Students milled around the hall, talking about summer vacation and the coming year. It took Kevin a while to get to his locker because every few steps someone would come up and talk to him. He was well liked and had a lot of friends. After exchanging high fives and information about his summer over and over again, he finally made it to his locker. The first day was always hectic but Kevin loved it. People dressed their best and were lively, even if it was early in the morning.

Nazz, his best friend and neighbor, leaned against his locker waiting for him. She was wearing a light blue dress and black flats, her hair in loose curls. A nice tan showed that she had spent most of her time outside, on various vacations with her family and friends. Kevin always enjoyed hearing about her trips to other countries or to the mountains. His family never had enough money to go on such trips so he lived them out through his friend’s stories.

“Hey Kevin, how was your work out?”

Kevin shrugged. “Good as always I guess. It seemed to be more of a work out trying to get to my locker. I was stopped like ten times by the guys.”

Nazz moved out of Kevin’s way and he got his books. They talked about their mornings until the bell interrupted them. After a quick hug, they went their separate ways. Homeroom came and went without any problems. Kevin’s first class was literature, which he did not mind too much, anything other than math or science this early. The teacher was nice and didn’t assign any homework for the next day other than to be prepared to discuss themes of literature.  The bell rang again and Kevin headed out of the room with the rest of the class. He didn’t need to walk fast. His next class was study hall in the library and one of the coaches was the monitor for it.

Turning a corner, Kevin ran straight into someone, knocking them flat on their back. The impact dazed the jock for a second before he looked down at the fallen person. Edd, the contents of his bag spilled out onto the floor, scrambled to put everything back where it belonged. He checked to make sure that his laptop was okay before looking up at Kevin.

“Salutations, Kevin. I am sorry for running into you. I was not watching where I was going. You see I am running behind schedule and need to proceed to my locker to drop off some of my things.”

Kevin bent down to help Edd pick up a few papers. “No problem Double D, I wasn’t paying attention either.”

On paper caught Kevin’s attention. It was a syllabus but not for a class that the school offered. Notes were jotted down already, reminders and such. Kevin looked it over before handing back to Edd.

“I didn’t know they offered psychology as a class. Man, I would have signed up for that in a heartbeat.”

Edd laughed and said, “No, Peach Creek High does not offer the course. I am enrolled in a college course at Peach Creek State. I thought it would be beneficial to explore the world of college academia before graduating.”

“That’s pretty cool,” Kevin smiled. “Also a good idea, getting some of your classes out of the way so college doesn’t take as long. Wish I would have thought about that.”

“You could always speak to the school councilor about trying to fix a class or two into the spring semester. I am very excited about the new challenges.”

It was Kevin’s turn to laugh. “Of course you are, dork.”

Edd scowled. “There is no need to be rude Kevin.”

Kevin smiled. “I say dork as a complement. I don’t mean it like I use to when we were kids. I think we have both grown out of those times.”

The contents of Edd’s bag were finally put up and they went their separate ways, Edd almost running so that he would not be late. Kevin watched him go, shaking his head. He had noticed that Edd was dressed different, not his normal sweater vests and bow ties that he wore most days to class. The new look suited him and his small frame.

‘It made his butt look good,’ Kevin thought.

“Wait, what?” Kevin whispered and shook his head. That came out of left field. Pushing that to the back of his mind, he headed towards the library. The bell rang and roll was called. The coach called out Double D’s name and Kevin said he had to go to his locker. The older man nodded and put a check next to his name. A few minutes later a flustered Edd finally came into the library. He was pale and looked winded as he talked to the coach. Kevin watched him find an empty table. Edd winced as he sat down and put a hand on his ribs. He wanted to go see if he was okay but coach came over to talk about the upcoming football season.

 

* * *

 

After departing from his interaction with Kevin, Edd ran to his locker. He needed to put his laptop away since the school did not allow the use of person devices. The locker was easy to find and the combination simple. Edd memorized it after only seeing it once. Such was his memory skills. It was not until after Edd closed his locker that he noticed someone leaning on the next locker over, a smirk adorning his face. Daniel, another senior and captain of the swim team, had been one of the major tormentors in Edd’s high school career. He was tall and tone from years of swimming competitively. He had dirty blonde hair and cold brown eyes that reminded Edd of wet clay.

“Hey Double Dork, it’s been a while,” Daniel smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes.

Edd shivered and clutched the strap of his bag. “G-greetings Daniel, I h-hope your summer was pleasant.”

Daniel de-attached himself from the locker and walked over, shoulders back and slowly. Edd knew that walk and froze. It was a dangerous walk, taunting him to run when he knew that his thin legs would not out run Daniel. It was not long before the swimmer towered over him, locking eyes with Edd.

“It was not as fun without you there to have… fun with.”

Before Edd could react, Daniel punched him in the ribs. All of the air in Edd’s lungs evacuated and he was left wheezing. The noise Edd made only seemed to excite the bully more. Another punch landed on Edd’s stomach, making him double over in pain. Tears sprung up in his eyes in reaction to the pain.

Daniel leaned down and whispered, “This was fun, let’s do this again soon.”

And then he was gone. Edd looked up to an empty hallway. The bell rang and he remembered that he needed to be in the library for study hall. Shouldering his bag, he headed towards the library, hand on his bruised ribs. The library was packed with students. Edd saw Kevin sitting with a group of his friends, talking and laughing. After a quick word with the coach assigned to watch them about his tardiness- which he found that Kevin covered for him-, he was able to find an empty table near the science section of the library.

Pain in his ribs flared up as he sat down, making Edd winch and hold his ribs. The facial expression was involuntary and he quickly made his face blank. Over the summer break, he had become use to not getting terrorized so he was showing his pain more than normal.

‘I must work on that,’ he thought. ‘I do not need unnecessary attention from others. That would only worsen his plight with Daniel and his friends.’

Edd looked around to see if anyone noticed and locked eyes with Kevin across the room, how was talking to the coach. Concern showed on his classmates face, questioning with his eyes. Edd quickly looked away and tried to look busy by pulling out a book that he was currently reading.

Kevin watched Edd carefully after their eye contact, still worried. Something defiantly happened between get from his locker to the library. He would try to chance Edd after class to see if he was okay.

Since it was the first day of school, no one was really studying. Most students talked or read quietly, like Edd. The period went by quickly and soon it was time to head to the third class of the day. As the bell rang, Edd walked quickly to the exit and disappearing into the crowded hallway before Kevin could excuse himself from his friends.

Edd was glad to get out of the library before Kevin for he did not wish to answer question which he did not- could not answer. It was for his own safety that Edd kept these incidents to himself. Only more pain came with answers. Daniel would find out if he talked and the beatings would only worsen from that point on, as if claiming dominance over the student body. No, Edd would not let it go that far. He could handle the situation.

* * *

**I love all your comments and such. Have a good day!**


	3. A New Number

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! I am back. I realized that I have never done an introduction! I was recently introduced to the KevEdd ship and I fell in love with it. And now, I decided to contribute to the ship as well. I hope you all are enjoying read it as much as I enjoy writing it. I know there hadn’t been a lot of romance but I like developing characters. It makes it more believable in my opinion, the growing affection.
> 
> Love Eden

The rest of the day went without any other incidents. Eddy and Ed sat with Edd at lunch. Eddy grilled Edd on his college experience so far. He kept asking if there were any ‘hot, older babes’ in his class and if he could hook him up with an older girl. Thinking back, Edd did not remember any other classmate other than Nat but Edd did not mention Nat. Every time he thought of Nat, his chest tightened again.

Classes blurred together and they were not very serious due to it only being the first day. The final bell rang and students spilled out into the halls, the noise level rising as excited teenagers talked as they headed home. Edd went to his lock to retrieve his laptop and grab the text books he would need to start on homework. Most of what he was going to start on was things due next week but he always tried to finish them before they were due. It was a habit. Now, with the introduction of college, Edd did not wish to fall behind in his studies.

With Ed at football practice and Eddy having work after school, Edd walked home alone for the first time since the fifth grade. His companions always walked together with him back to the cul-de-sac but things have changed. Cutting through the parking lot, Edd headed home. He could take the public bus but that seemed like a waste of his parents’ money and it was a beautiful day outside. There were a few groups of people also walking but no one from his neighborhood. Most of the other kids he grew up with either had extracurricular activities or had a personal car.

A car horn blared next to Edd, causing him to jump. A blue muscular car rolled up next to him, window rolled down. Angry metal music poured out of the impressive car. Leaning over, Edd saw none other than Daniel at the wheel, smirking at him. Had Daniel been following him? Edd did not think the bully resided near his home.

“Need a lift Double Dork?” Daniel said, turning down his music.

Edd shook his head. “N-no I am fine, t-thank you. My house is not far from here. I can walk.”

Daniel’s face contorted in anger, not use to the hearing the word no, not from someone like Edd. Without turning off his car, Daniel got out of his car and circled around until he was in front of Edd. Once again, Edd knew running was not the option best suited for the situation. Running only caused more violence on the next meeting.

“Get in the car, now.” Daniel grabbed Edd by his arm and dragged him to the passenger seat.

The grip on Edd’s arm was like a vice and his finger tips tingled from his circulation being diminished. Daniel opened the passenger door and pushed Edd into the seat. Rubbing his arm, he saw a bruise forming right where his sleeve ended. He would have to tend to that when he got home so it would not call too much attention tomorrow.

Panic rose in Edd’s throat as Daniel climbed into the driver seat. Edd did not know what was about to happen and his mind only went to worst case scenarios that mostly ended with him either dead or hospitalized. When Daniel started driving again, there was little talking, only Daniel asking where to go. His metal music was softly playing in the background the whole way. Edd kept his answers short, trying to make his voice level. They finally reached the last turn onto the cul-de-sac and Edd’s voice broke when he instructed his tormentor to turn right at the stop sign. Daniel smiled, reveling in the small boys fear. It was moments like this that Daniel savored, the feeling of power and complete control.

Daniel pulled into Edd’s driveway. Edd tensed, waiting for Daniel to attack but it never came. He just sat in the driver’s seat, texting. Slowly, Edd reached for the door handle and got out. Daniel still did not move, focused on his phone. After Edd closed the door, the car just pulled out of his drive way and left. Edd stood in confusion. What was the point of Daniel driving him home? A sinking feeling over took Edd’s stomach when he finally realized what just happened.

Edd had shown his tormentor where he lived.

 

* * *

 

Wednesday morning, Edd was once again on the public bus heading to the college. The bruise on his arm was faded but his clothes hid others he had received at school the day before. Daniel and his friends had found him once after school. Edd had stayed behind to help his calculus teachers prepare packets for the following day. Mr. Headin was a kind old man that had taught Edd since freshman year. There were many occasions in which Mr. Headin privately tutored Edd on higher math then was taught in high school. Edd enjoyed the challenge it presented. When Edd finally reached his locker, he found Daniel and two of his friends waiting for him. The beating was short but brutal. They only stopped because they were going to be late for swim practice.

Edd tried not to think about his tormentors as he got off the bus. It was a new day and he was excited for the upcoming class. All night, Edd had been thinking about seeing Nat again, the bright haired youth stuck in his mind. He could not figure out why though, which puzzled him more. He tried to explain it with science but could not. It was a true mystery.

 Edd came to a halt on the walkway. On the bus bench, Nat was waiting for Edd. A book was open on his lap and a coffee sat next to him. Nat looked up as the bus pulled away. A smile spread across his face as he saw Edd. That smile brought the tightness back to his chest and Edd had to remind himself to breath.

“S-salutations Nat,” Edd sputtered, shocked.

“Hey Edd, how are you?” Nat asked politely.

Edd smiled shyly. “I am well, thank you very much. Shall we commence to the science building?”

Nat nodded and the boys fell into step together. During their travel, Edd switched his messenger bag to his other shoulder, trying to relieve some of the soreness he was feeling from the day before. He hoped that Nat would not notice. A lie already lined up to throw suspicion off his injuries. But Nat did not seem to notice. They reached their classroom without incident. Edd did usual cleaning of his seat, much to Nat’s amusement. After taking their seats, Edd pulled out his laptop. There were few emails he needed to respond to from teachers and his parents before class started. Nat went back to reading his book. The quiet was comfortable. Edd was use to constant communication when he was around Eddy and Ed. But this silence was like a welcomed break even though he shared a space with a fellow classmate.

The lecture started and Dr. Harper started talking about the human brain and all of its facets. Each section had a critical job. Cut away a few parts of the brain and you lose what it means to be human. The lights in the room were dimmed and a 3D projection of the brain rose in the center of the room. Edd gasped at the technology and sat forward in his seat. There were different setting to see the brain but the most interesting to Edd was the model that showed neurons firing, the brain sending signal to the body and the body to the brain. It looked like the beautiful pictures the Hubble Telescope captured of the universe, bright and colorful. Nat watched Edd, smiling.

“I don’t think you guys appreciate the brain truly. Did you realize that you never have to tell your body to breathe? Sitting in your chairs, you are breathing because the brain tells the body it needs to breathe without you thinking about it. That is because of the part of the brain called the medulla oblongata. It deals with autonomic functions, such as breathing, blood pressure, and controls your blood pressure. Scientist have invented machines to assist with tasks that your body does without thinking about it.”

Dr. Harper finished his lecture and the lights came back on. Edd packed quickly and went down to talk to Dr. Harper about the technology used in the lecture. They both talked animatedly, gesturing to where the brain had been floating.

Nat sat on a front desk waiting for Edd. He could not get over how cute Edd was when he got excited. When Edd smiled, he did not cover his mouth in attempts to hide his gap. It was charming how genuine Edd was. Nat was well aware that he was bisexual so the thoughts about Edd did not bother him. He was comfortable with who he was and, when he came out as bisexual, his friends and family accepted him just as he was.

Edd bowed to their teacher and turned to Nat. His eyes were still alive with excitement from his conversation with Dr. Harper. Nat could have melted at Edd’s smile but he composed himself and walked with Edd to the bus stop. The entire way Edd rambled on about the lecture and the equipment. Nat spoke whenever he could get a word in, which was rare since Edd talked very quickly when he got excited.

When they reached the bus stop, Edd noticed that there were no other passengers waiting. He glanced at his watch and groaned. The bus had left a few minutes ago. The next one would not come for another half hour. Edd seemed to deflate, all his previous excitement gone. Nat’s smile vanished with Edd’s, replaced with worry.

“Is everything okay Edd?” He asked tentatively.

Edd looked at his classmate and let out a shaky sigh. “There is no need for alarm. I have just missed the bus is all and will have to wait for another thirty minutes before the next one comes. Now my schedule is disturbed…”

The small boy trailed off muttering quietly and trying not to have a panic attack. Nat stood still for a moment, assessing the situation. He had noticed Edd cleaning his chair earlier, a sign of OCD. Knowing that, Nat knew that Edd having a disciplined schedule was important to his everyday life. Carefully, Nat guided Edd to a nearby bench and sat him down with no complaining from the boy.

“It’s okay Edd, missing the bus is not the end of the world. The bus rotations are always accurate so you know that another bus is coming soon. I’ll sit and wait for the bus with you.”

Edd snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Nat, blushing slightly at his reaction. “I cannot keep you from your classes Nat. I c-can wait here by myself.”

“Dude,” Nat laughed. “I told you the other day that my next class does not start for another hour or so. I have the time to hang out with you.”

“Oh right,” Edd muttered, looking down and picking at the hem of his shirt. Today it was a black shirt with maroon pants. Eddy liked how Edd was dressing lately, encouraging him to get out of his shell.

There was a short, uncomfortable silence before Nat spoke up. “So… how about we play the question game as we wait?”

Edd looked puzzled, never hearing of that game before.

“It’s a game that helps you get to know someone,” Nat said, noticing Edd’s confusion. “I ask you a question, you answer, you ask a question, and then I answer. It’s pretty easy.”

Edd perked up at the thought of asking question. He loved question and asked them regularly, almost to the point that people told him that he annoying and nosey. But here was someone wanting him to ask question. It almost made up for missing the bus.

“Okay, shall you go first since you introduced the ‘question game’?”

 Nat nodded and thought for a second. “How old are you?”

“I am 17 years old and I will be 18 in a few months.” Edd smiled.

“Oh cool, it’s your turn now.”

Now it was Edd’s turn to think. “Oh I got one, where do you hail from originally, before college?”

“Well I originally ‘hailed’ from Thomasville. It’s a small town about an hour away from here. Did you grow up in Peach Creek?

Edd nodded. “I live in the suburbs on the regions of town, in a quaint little cul-de-sac.”

“Sounds nice,” Nat smiled and decided to ask a more personal question. “Why do you wear that beanie? It’s not even cold out yet.”

That question had Edd shift nervously. He had not expected that question so soon. Many curious people asked Edd that same question but he was always able to avoid the answer. This time it was different because he could not avoid the answer.

“I just d-do not like now my hair looks so I wear a beanie.”

Nat noticed how uncomfortable Edd was and did not probe any farther about his hair. If Edd wanted to talk about his hair, Nat would listen but he would not push.

“It’s okay. Now it’s your turn.”

Edd was glad Nat did not inquire further about his hat. “What is your designated major?”

“Psychology. What is your favorite color?”

“I am rather found of the colors blue and purple. What about you Nat? What is your favorite color?”

“I lean more towards green, like a forest green not bright green. There were woods behind my house and I spent a lot of my childhood climbing trees and playing in those woods. I guess it just brings me back to a simpler time.”

Edd nodded, remember his busy childhood summers with Ed and Eddy. The skies were always so blue and clear. He smiled at the memory.

After a few innocent questions, Edd became bold and asked, “What is your relationship statue?”

“My relationship wha- oh you’re asking if I am in a relationship.” Nat laughed, loving how Edd talked. “I don’t have a girlfriend or boyfriend at the moment.”

The word boyfriend caught Edd off guard. He was use to someone being so openly bisexual. Saying something like that at his high school usually ended up harming the person rather than encourage them. Edd remembered a boy come came out as gay his freshman year. He had to transfer to another school because the basketball team found out that he liked one of the players. It was an uncomfortable time at Peach Creek High.

Nat noticed Edd go into deep thought and blushed. He was open about his sexuality but for some reason Nat got flustered knowing that Edd knew. Nat could not figure out Edd and was having a hard time trying to guess what he was thinking.

“Okay,” Edd said, finally breaking the tension that he did not know he caused.

Edd was just about to ask another question when the bus came into view. Had it been 30 minutes already? The game made time move quickly. Edd grabbed his stuff and headed towards the bus, Nat following him. Before Edd got on the bus, Nat grabbed Edd’s wrist, flipped his hand so his palm was facing up, and wrote something on his.

“That’s my number. I’m free this weekend if you wanted to hang out. Well I best be off. Bye Edd” Nat smiled at him then left.

Edd’s hand still tingled from the pen and Nat’s hand. He jumped on the bus, took his seat and stared down at his palm. Usually Edd would have preferred such things to be written down on paper or put into his phone but the black numbers on his palm felt… personal. Knowing how many times a day he washed his hands, Edd put the number in his phone so that he could retain the information before it started to fade.


	4. A Talk in the Library

Nat was lying on his bed watching Netflix on his laptop when his phone buzzed. Hitting the space bar to pause the show, Nat picked up his phone. There was a new text from a number he did not recognize. At first he was confused then he remembered writing his number on Edd’s hand. A hand that was soft and elegant compared to most male hands.

_Edd: Good evening Nat. This is Edd._

**Nat: Hey Edd how was school today? Sorry you missed the bus earlier today.**

_Edd: It is quite alright. It was my own miscalculations that lead to the tardiness. My teacher understood in my plight though. He said ‘it’s only study hall’ but I told him it would not happen again._

Nat laughed once again at Edd’s choice of vocabulary. It was amusing and Nat never got tired of it. So many people say things the same way that the way Edd talked was refreshing. Who even used the word plight anymore?

**Nat: Lol okay. Hey what are you up to this weekend?**

_Edd: I will be working on homework for the most part but besides that I have no real plans. My friends will be occupied this weekend so I am on my own._

Nat chewed on his lip, thinking. Was it too soon to see if Edd wanted to hang out? They only met a few days ago and he didn’t want to scare the kid off before he could get to know him better. Something kept pulling Nat towards Edd and he was curious to see where things would do. Edd did not react poorly to Nat’s sexuality so that was good. He just needed to take his time with Edd. High school can be a confusing time which Nat knew all too well.

**Nat: I was thinking about going to see that new space movie after I got off work on Friday if you wanted to join. I was supposed to go with my friend Alex but he bailed to go to some party.**

There was a good few minutes before Nat’s phone buzzed again. Anxiety gnawed at Nat’s insides and quickly grabbed the phone to read the message. With the silence, Nat was worried that Edd would say no.

_Edd: I would be delighted to join you for the movie._

Details were exchanged such as times and location of the movie theatre. Edd excused himself, saying he needed to get 8 hours of rest before school tomorrow. After sending a good night text, Nat put down his phone smiling and went back to watching Netflix. But Ned’s attention was not on the show. All he could think of was the boy with the black beanie and a gap in his teeth.

 

* * *

 

 Edd’s muscles strained and a bead of sweat rolled down his cheek. His forearms shook under his own weight, which was not much mass. Taking in breath through his noise and out through his mouth, Edd concentrated on not collapsing. He was able to hold on for this long and it would be over soon. There was only so much he could take before he would collapse.

“And relax.”

Edd lay down on his yoga mat from the plank position. The instructor was focusing on core and arms today, leaving everyone sweating and breathing heavily. Bri was unlike any instructor Edd had ever heard of. Most people envision instructors of yoga to be hippies with long hair and Zen ways, but that was not true for Bri. The short woman was retired army with short hair who seemed to take pleasure in making the class hold a tough position for an extended period of time. Edd was usually left sore but it was a pleasant kind of sore unlike after he got attacked by Daniel and his friends.

Bri stood in front of the class with a smile on her face as the students lay on their mats trying to catch their breath. “That is it for today. Good job guys and I will see you all on Monday.”

 With only attending college on Monday and Wednesday mornings, Edd was able to find time to attend yoga class before heading to school. He had taken a yoga class over the summer since Ed was away at football camps and Ed worked almost every day. He loved figuring out how far his muscles could stretch and how positions could alleviate tension. After he learned about the muscular system in school, Edd felt like yoga was as much about science as it was about exercise. At first he was very nervous about the class. It was full of women that Edd did not know and Edd had a difficult time talking to the opposite sex. But the experience of group breathing and motion calmed him. He had taken a few embarrassing falls but no one laughed at him. It was refreshing to be in such a positive environment.

Edd waved good bye to the other participants of his yoga class, middle-aged house wives with free time since their children were in school. The gym had showers which Edd used on the mornings he had class. Even though it was not his shower, he was impressed with how well kept the restrooms and shower areas were. He left the gym feeling wake and limber, heading to the bus stop that was right around the corner. After a short bus ride, Edd stood in front of his high school.

There was a moment of hesitation about entering the school building. Edd knew that in those halls were Daniel and his team mates. It was Friday and there was no swim practice today so Edd was vulnerable once the final bell rang. All the calm that Edd felt from his morning workout drained from his body and anxiety took its place. His temple of learning turned into a personal hell with Daniel as his tormentor. It took much effort to open the doors and head down the halls.

 

* * *

 

 Kevin was sore from his workout that morning and sitting still in the library made his muscles ache. He had forgotten to stretch properly after his morning run.  The first week of school left him tired from practice and late nights. If he wanted to get into a good college, he had to focus on his studies. His friends always told him that he did not need to study so hard. Any college would kill to have him on their football or baseball team. He tried to laugh about it with his friends but he did not want to end up with no future after he could not play sports anymore. There were older guys who went off to college on sports scholarships but ended up coming back because they could not make it in college. Kevin did not want such a sad life for himself with the possibility of not finishing college if he got injured. Other scholarships would help get him through college as a failsafe.

“Look who finally showed up on time for class,” muttered on of Kevin’s friends.

Kevin glanced over at the doorway and saw Edd sneaking into the library. Edd looked paler then normal and he kept looking around. Kevin was use to the smart one of the Ed’s being jumpy but this was strange. Even though Edd was rarely ever late, he had been coming in late to study hall almost every day this week. Yesterday, Edd came in with a slight limp.

“Oh I just remembered that I forgot had to ask Edd about some homework that’s due today.” Kevin grabbed his bag and headed to meet Edd at his normal solitary study table near the back of the library.

Edd was surprised when Kevin took a seat across from him. They had not talked since the first day of school since Edd was always late for study hall.

“Salutations Kevin, what brings you away from your friends to my table?” Edd looked at Kevin with a little skepticism.

Holding his hand up, Kevin smiled. “I come in peace Double Dee. I was just wondering if I could copy your notes for Mr. Thompson’s class. I zoned out while he was talking and missed something I guess I needed for last night’s homework.”

“Oh,” Edd sighed, relieved that Kevin’s intrusion was not actually a disturbance. “Of course you may borrow my notes. I thought Mr. Thompson’s lecture was intellectually stimulating. Stoichiometry is fascinating, truly.”

“You’re such a dork, Double Dee.” Kevin laughed and took the notes from Edd.

Kevin smiled at how organized Edd’s notes were. There were multiple pen colors throughout the chemistry notes. Examples were in green and equations were in blue. Important things were written in red, jumping out from the other colors. He did not really need the notes but Kevin felt like he learned more than he did from Mr. Thompson. Even though the notes were just an excuse, Kevin was glad that he came over.

The jock tried to start up conversation as he finished copying the notes. “So how has the first week of school been for you? The college stuff going well?”

The thought of college brought made Edd think about hanging out with Nat that afternoon. A smile spread across his face and he forgot to cover his tooth gap. Kevin was surprised and confused at the sudden change in Edd’s demeanor. Color came back to his face finally. His shoulders rolled back and he relaxed in his chair.

“It is going well. My psychology class is thrilling. We discussed the human brain and Dr. Harper was able to project a three dimensional brain. It was beautiful Kevin, looking at the brain floating in the center of the lecture hall. I could have reached out and touched it. It was breathtaking.”

Edd breathed heavily and could not smiling even if his face hurt. A blush warmed Edd’s face as he noticed that Kevin was staring at him. Did he say too much? His smile faded and Edd ran his thumb down the page edges of his book. He did it once, twice, three times before looking back up at Kevin. The ginger jock smiled softly at him as if he was looking at a startled animal.

“I wish I could get excited about something like floating brains or college. I have been thinking about college, about the future and I don’t have a clear answer for what my future will hold. You are lucky, Double Dee.” Kevin scratched the back of his neck. “Well, thanks for the notes Double Dee. I’ll let you get back to your reading.”

Edd watched Kevin rejoin his friend. They welcomed him back with smiles and laughter. And Edd… Edd felt alone.

 


	5. Stress and a Movie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beautiful readers!! Thanks for tuning back in for another chapter. You guys are awesome and I hope you are enjoying the story so far.  
> Love Eden

Daniel walked through the halls, hands in his pockets. The week had gone very well. Swim practice had resumed and Daniel was at the top of his game. The school record was going to change this year with Daniel’s name with at the top. He smirked for this was the one thing that Kevin could not beat him at. The swimmer did not do well in football and he only played baseball on the off season to keep in shape. Everyone seemed to worship the ground Kevin walked on but this year would be different. Daniel would make a name for himself, pushing Kevin out of the thoughts of his fellow students.

With swim practice cancelled due to the coach going out of town for the weekend, Daniel had nothing better to do with his afternoon. Most of his friends already left for the day, towing their girlfriends on dates or getting homework done so that they could go to parties tonight. He usually left right as the bell rang but he forgot one of his binders in his last class. The hall was quiet from the lack of students. Daniel would have kept walking but he heard a locker open not too far away. Peaking around the corner, only one person stood in the hallway. His dark hat made his skin seem lighter. The dork was blissfully unaware that he was being watched, fixing his bag over his shoulder. A feeling of power swelled in Daniel as he turned the corner and headed for Edd.

Edd did not notice Daniel until he was right behind him. Breath tickled the back of his neck, the tiny hairs standing on end at the disturbance. No one ever got that close to Edd, nor did he want anyone that close to him. There was a powerful stench of body spray that stuck to the inside of Edd’s nose, suffocating him. The urge to flee overwhelmed Edd but his legs locked.

“Fancy meeting you here, dork.”

That voice brought a familiar dread to the pits of Edd’s stomach. The two were so close that Edd could feel the warmth of Daniel’s body behind. Edd did not move, afraid to set off the tormentor. The tension chocked Edd, rendering him speechless. Beatings usually happened suddenly and ended suddenly as well, like rains in the desert. But Daniel did not pounce immediately. Breath stirred on Edd’s neck like Daniel was breathing in his terror like he was smelling a fine wine.

“I keep missing our morning meetings. Sorry about that. I always look forward to your little get together. Don’t you?”

Edd did not know how to answer properly. Tongue tied, he gripped the strap of his bag like it was a life line. An answer was expected but he could not find his voice. Fingers ghosted over the back of his neck, moving the small amount of hair that spilled out of the back of his beanie. An involuntary shiver wracked Edd’s small body. Daniel’s hands were not warm or kind. The years spent playing baseball callused his fingers, rough like light sandpaper.

“I always thought it was weird how you never got pimples or acne. Girls are jealous of now smooth it is, how clear it is. It’s surprisingly soft though.”

He had to get away. Every instinct told Edd to run away from Daniel, get as far away from him as possible. But the fingers left his skin suddenly. Edd would have been relieved but it was cut short as he was shoved face first into the lockers. The wind left his lungs and he fell down, landing on his left arm badly. A swift punch disoriented the boy even further.  

Daniel knelt in front of Edd, smiling. “Well I do enjoy out little meetings but that will be enough for today. We have the rest of year to get to know each other. See you later dork.”

And then Daniel strolled back down the hallway, vanishing from view. It took Edd almost five minutes to even get up again. His legs shook like a new born deer. There was something more terrifying about this incidence than the others. He was aware of the physical pain associated with the beatings but it may have gone beyond that. Bruises faded and bones mended but Edd only had one mind, one that could easily be broken.  His legs finally stopped shaking when he safely locked his front door. Sitting with his back to the door, Edd pulled his knees to his chest and tried to convince himself that things could not get worst.

* * *

 Nat put up his apron in his locker. The shift was busy but Nat liked cooking so it did not bother him. When he left, he usually smelled like Italian food. That smell got him a few phone numbers when he ventured out to bars after work. Before he worked here, Nat did not know how to cook. He started off washing dishes in the back but, after he showed interest in cooking, the chef took him under his wing, teaching him everything he knew. Now, Nat could make most traditional Italian food.

There were a few messages on his phone, mostly his friends John and Marc Anthony. They were going with him to the movies and they could not stop talking about how excited they were. Across the Skies had been getting rave reviews since it came out the week before. Nat had been busy with work and getting ready for the coming semester so they had to wait for him to have free time to go see the movie. Today was the first day that he got off work before the dinner rush, leaving him time to hang out with his friends. Even though he was excited to see his friends, he was nervous about hanging out with Edd as well. Since they had texted the previous days Nat kept getting flustered when he remembered that Edd would be joining in on the movie. It had been a while since a person made him this flustered. This would either go really well or stop a friendship before it started. Nat was hoping for the ladder. He sent a few replies to his friends and went into his contacts to find Edd’s number

The phone rang three times before Edd picked up. “Salutations, this is Eddward Vincent. How may I help you?”

Nat laughed. “Dude you sound like a receptionist, not a high school student.”

 “Punctuality and proper greetings are the back bone to proper maintenances for familiarity between acquaintances.” Edd huffed on the other end. “Am I to think that this call is in response to you leaving work?”

“Yeah, I am just walking to my car. The next showing of Across the Skies is at 8 at the Galleria 15. Did you need a ride to the movies?” Nat had never heard Edd mention a car and he always rode the bus to and from classes.

Edd sighed. “I will require transportation since it is too late to take the bus into town. Most violent crimes occur when the sun had set and if the they are alone. I would rather not push statistics to such a poor outcome.”

Nat switched his phone to his other ear as he dug his keys out of his pocket. “That’s true. Just send me your address, Edd, and I’ll come pick you up.”

“O-okay, I will disconnect then and text you without delay. Good bye Nat.” With that, Edd hung up the phone and sent Nat his address. He did not know how long it would take for Nat to reach his home so Edd quickly changed out of his school clothes. Standing in front of the mirror, Edd looked at himself. The black jeans made his long legs look fit, not scrawny like usual, and the red shirt he wore did not wash out his skin tone. He actually looked nice.

_When did that happen?_ Edd wondered as put on his beanie.

Over the past few years, he had traded his black ‘sock’ hat, as most people called it, for a solid black beanie that fit his head better. His mother had bought it for him when one had gotten a hole in it. Edd almost had a panic attack since his other hats were dirty and were going to be washed later that day. The new hat was going to be a Christmas present but it was given to him after his father found Edd hyperventilation in the bathroom before school. The episode scared his mother enough to prompt Edd into therapy. That had been a rough few months for Edd, who was not accustom to talking about his feelings to anyone, let alone a stranger who was paid to listen to him.

The only thing that bugged Edd really was the bruise that blossomed on his left cheek bone from when Daniel shoved his face into the lockers. Usually foundation would cover his injuries but this bruise was too dark to cover up at the moment. The makeup would only point out the discoloration.

Edd’s phone chimed and he realized he had been staring at his reflection longer then intended. Unlocking his phone, a new text from Nat read ‘I’m outside.’ Edd slipped on his black Vans and slid his wallet into his back pocket. There was a spare key outside so he decided to leave his keys at home. His pockets were barely large enough to hold his wallet comfortably. After checking to make sure all the lights were out, Edd walked outside.

A gasp escaped Edd’s lips. Nat’s car was a dark blue, classic sports car. The roof was retracted, leaving the restored interior exposed. Nat sat comfortably in the driver seat, texting someone. He smirked at something on is phone and sent another text. Edd’s chest constricted at smile. He had to take a calming breath before walking up to the car.

Nat looked up and smiled. “This is a nice little neighborhood you live in Edd. It’s the kind of neighborhood that children’s shows would be based on, with the kids getting into trouble during long summers.”

“That is actually quite accurate to my early adolescent years. My friends could always find trouble and I was always roped into their schemes.”  Edd climbed into the passenger seat, carefully closing the door.

The car roared back to life and Nat pulled out of the driveway. House music flowed from the stereo, unique yet intriguing. Edd was use to classical but he had never heard music like this before. Nat bobbed his head along to the underlying beat and tapped the steering wheel as he turned out of the cul-de-sac. It was a beautiful, clear night with the stars making an appearance. Edd relaxed into his seat and looked at the sky as they cruised back into the center of town. Light pollution eventually muted the stars but they had reached the movie theatre before Edd could criticize the change.

With the roof back up and the car locked, Nat and Edd walked into the theatre. Two guys hung out near the entrance to the concession stand. Both perked up when they saw Nat walk in. Edd was left standing awkwardly as Nat talked to what Edd assumed to be Nat’s friends. He had forgotten that Nat mentioned that a few friends would be joining for the showing.

Mark Anthony was the first to notice Edd. “Well hello there, you must be the guy that Nat won’t shut up about. Edd right with two d’s? My name is Mark Anthony.”

Edd looked over at Nat puzzled before turning back to Mark. “Yes, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

“Dude, you were right. I have never heard anyone talk like that.”  John smiled. “Hi, I’m John.”

A blush had crept up Nat’s face. He wanted to throttle his friends. It seemed that nothing they talked about was truly private. They would pay for the embarrassment later, Nat vowed. Mark Anthony and John must have noticed the aura of death coming off Nat because they stopped laughing and decided to get in line for tickets.

“Sorry about that Edd. Mark and John can get a little rambunctious when they are excited.” Nat tried to play cool after losing face in front of Edd. Hopefully it would not bother Edd or bring up any embarrassing questions.

A smile light up Edd’s face. “It is fine Nat. They seem to be good people. Shall we follow them to acquire out tickets and concessions?”

Before long, the four of them found seats in the semi crowded theatre. Edd sat between Nat and Mark Anthony. All Edd bought was a bag of twizzlers and a bottled water. The other three were sharing a large popcorn but Edd was never comfortable sharing food like that with others. He did not know where their hands have been nor when the last time they were washed. His OCD would not allow him to partake of the snack. The last thing Edd wanted was to have a full breakdown in front of Nat or his friends.

The lights in the theatre finally dimmed and the previews began. Nat and Mark talked over Edd about the coming movies, like which would be worth looking into or avoiding. It was all very humorous and Edd did not mind how Nat leaned in closer to talk to Mark. He did not smell like how guys smelled at his high school, nostril clogging body strays. It was more of a musky aftershave that was not too heavy. It reminded Edd of autumn nights by a campfire.

Edd shook his head, trying to clear away the thoughts. Nat had relaxed back into his seat as the movie finally started. After opening his snack, Edd chewed slowly on the strawberry candy. The introduction for the movie was a stunning look at the Milky Way with an actor voicing over the advances made in space travel. Edd was surprised how close to real science the movie was. Movies on the topic of space usually frustrated him because the science was wrong or the laws of physics were altered.

A breath on Edd’s cheek almost caused him to jump out of his seat. Nat leaned over, getting close to Edd. The light from the screen cast shadows across Nat’s face, pointing out all the peaks and valleys of his features. His mouth was slightly open and he was looking right at him. Edd did not know how much time had passed but it was only a moment.

“Can I have a twizzlers?”

And with that, the moment was broken. All Edd could do was nod, peel off a piece, and hand it to Nat, who went back to watching the movie. The lump in Edd’s throat slowly loosened and he took a sip of his water. For the rest of the movie, Edd tried to keep his eyes on the screen but they occasionally wandered over to the boy sitting next to him. Nat never looked back over at Edd.


	6. The Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beautiful people!! Thanks for tuning in once again for another chapter. I hope you all enjoy this chapter. Romance will be coming soon, I promise. I just like building friendships before relationships.
> 
> Love Eden

People crowded around in the theatre lobby talking excitedly about the movie that just ended. John and Mark Anthony were going back and forth about the plot and the science behind Across the Sky. Edd stood next to them, waiting for Nat to get out of the restroom. He was still flustered from the earlier exchange with Nat in the dark theatre. There was an awkward moment between them after the movie ended. Nat promptly excused himself to the bathroom, leaving Edd to ponder what caused his heart to palpitate earlier.

“Isn’t that right Edd?”

Startled, Edd looked over at John and Mark Anthony. The question was lost to Edd since he was not paying any attention to their debate. He had been drifting with his own thoughts instead of observing his surroundings as closely as he should. This slip up left him unprepared for social interactions.

“Um, can you repeat your question please?” Edd asked meekly, blushing slightly.

John spoke up. “Did you think the science in the movie was plausible? I mean, I’ve skimmed a few articles about possible space travel advances and the movie was based on a few of those ideas.”

“I would have to agree with the science.” Edd said after a moment of thought. “NASA recently commented in _Science Weekly_ in regards to a new power source in the works that could sustain long distance travel to get from one galaxy to another. Maybe, we could finally get a true picture of the Milky Way when such space travel is achieved. Did you know that when you look at the picture of the Milky Way you are actually looking at is actually another galaxy shaped similarly to ours?”

Neither John nor Mark Anthony expected that answer from Edd, a high school student. Nat had boasted about how smart Edd was but they thought Nat was exaggerating about his intellect and extensive vocabulary. But all of it seemed to be true.

Since the movie had gotten out at the same time as a few other movies, the bathroom was packed, making Nat stand in line. He did not expect to be gone for so long. The invitation for Edd to join them was a test to see if the younger boy would fit in with his other friends. There was something interesting about Edd and Nat wanted to keep him around. Edd was someone you met once in a lifetime. Nat rejoined the group just in time for an intense discussion about space travel between his friends and Edd, which was a good sign. John and Mark usually ignored people they did not like.

_Good, that means I can bring him around more often_. Nat thought as he stood next to Edd.

A blush bloomed on Edd’s cheeks when he noticed Nat standing close to him, his teal hair giving him away. The reaction now and in the theatre from the causal proximity was not something Edd had experienced before. He would have to evaluate the occurrence later when he could think strait and not ponder what cologne Nat was wearing that clouded Edd’s mind.

“Is anyone hungry?” Nat asked, drawing his friends’ attention.

 Mark Anthony shook his head. “We got pizza while you were still at work, sorry.”

“And I a paper I need to work on so I have to be leaving soon.”John frowned apologetically.

“No worries guys,” Nat smiled. “Thanks for hanging out. Sorry I have been so busy lately with work and school recently. I’ll make it up to you guys with a movie night next weekend since I have the Saturday and Sunday off.”

After promises to hang out more often, John and Mark Anthony headed to their respective cars. The walk back to Nat’s car was quiet. The blue car chirped as it unlocked and Edd climbed into the passenger seat.

“So, I am starving,” Nat said as he buckled himself in. “What about you? Anywhere you want to eat at?”

Edd shrugged. “I am not the one who is starving so I shall leave that decision up to you.”

“Fair enough. I heard about this diner not too far away that has some pretty awesome milkshakes. Let’s give it a try.” Nat smiled at Edd, making his stomach flop.

The drive did not take long at all. A cheery host sat them in a booth next to the front window.  The décor transported Edd to the 1950’s when diners were popular. Vinyl seats squeaked as they slid into the booth.  Laminated menus were placed in front of them by a bubbly red headed girl with a name tag that read Janet.

“What can I start you guys off with today? We have Coke products, including Dr. Pepper, water, tea, and milkshakes.” Janet’s pen was poised over her order pad as she awaited an answer.

“What’s your favorite shake Janet?” Nat asked as he skimmed the huge list of milkshakes.

“Personally, I always order the mint chocolate chip milkshake.”

“I will have one of those then. What about you Edd?” Nat looked over his menu at the boy sitting opposite of him.

Edd smiled meekly and said, “I will have an ice water please.”

They were left alone to ponder the menu options while Janet went to get their drinks. Edd’s water was the first to arrive while it took a little longer for Nat’s shake. Edd decided that a salad sounded appealing from the menu of grease filled foods. Such foods always made his body feel heavy afterwards. Proper eating habits, full of vegetables and fruits, fueled the body without causing intestinal or cholesterol issues that his parents always warned him about. There were a few sticky notes that chastised Edd whenever his parents found out that he ate something like pizza or fast food. Eddy always teased Edd whenever he ordered salads, calling him a bunny.

_Hopefully Nat will not think the same thing as my short tempered friend._ Edd thought nervously.

Nat was about to fill the silence with a new topic but Janet reappeared with the most beautifully crafted milkshake that Nat had ever seen. The clear glass showed a vibrant green ice cream base with chunks of chocolate suspended in the green. A mountain of whipped cream rose from the lip of the glass and was crowned with a single, shining cherry. Nat’s mouth watered in anticipation.

Janet drew Nat’s attention away from the masterpiece before him when she asked, “You guys ready to order?”

“I’ll have-” Nat and Edd said at the same time. Both boys stopped talking and laughed. Edd motioned for Nat to go first, trying not to blush.

“I will have the cheese burger with no ketchup and fries as my side please.”

“And I would like the salad with Italian dressing please.” Edd kept his eyes on the menu so he could not gauge Nat’s reaction to him ordering a salad at a diner. Janet left them once again to get their food punched into the system so that the cooks could start on their meals.

Smiling, Nat sensed Edd’s embarrassment and felt like he needed to put the other boy at ease. “A salad would have been my first choice but that burger was calling to me. After a day surrounded by Italian food, a greasy burger has its own appeal.”

“I wish I could have ordered a hamburger.” Edd laughed. “But I have a few dietary restrictions that make eating grease-heavy foods a rare treat. So, I must eat like a bunny.”

The outburst made Edd want to smash his head into the table. Of course he would say the one thing he did not want to point out about himself to Nat. Edd was a smart, some would say brilliant, person but sometimes his mouth ran away from him when he was nervous or scared. He was not scared so being nervous was the only explanation for the situation.

“A bunny?” Nat raised one eyebrow. “So you are a cute woodland dweller that scares easily? Sounds about right.”

Edd blush was deep crimson at the description. “Cute? I am not cute. I am scrawny and pale with poor social skills.”

Clamping his hand over his mouth, Edd stopped his flow of thought that exited from his mouth. Why was he saying such things? Edd rarely ever spoke before choosing his words carefully. He hated miscommunications so he tried to avoid vague or generic sentences. If he was not in a public place with no way home, Edd would have made an excuse to leave before further embarrassment. He had only known Nat for a week and he did not want his first impression to be one of babbling and humiliation.

“What if I think pale, small, and poor social skills are cute?”

Nat locked eyes with Edd, pinning him with his gaze. Those green eyes spoke of intense truth and made Edd’s heart flutter. Edd could not break his gaze from Nat’s. Intrigue fueled Nat, wanting to get to know more about Edd. It was already established that Nat was bisexual. Edd had never shown much interest in either gender, opting to spend his time with his nose in books rather than going out on dates. There were no ex-lovers in Edd’s life so he could not pin down what his own orientation was. It was never an issue until now, under the gaze of another man.

“I got one salad with Italian dressing and a cheese burger, hold the red sauce.”

Janet startled them, breaking the connection. Food was placed in front of them and Edd was glad for the distraction to look anywhere other than at Nat. There was no conversation as they ate. Edd, who was usually proficient at stimulating dinner conversation, could not find anything to talk about. He was glad Nat was also occupied with his meal. Edd did not wish to further humiliate himself in front of Nat.

All the while, Nat watched Edd slyly so the other boy would not notice. Confusion was written clearly on Edd’s face. Guilt crept up into Nat’s throat for making Edd so upset that he could not even talk. The confusion raging inside Edd was something Nat understood because he experienced the same strife when he was 16. Society frowned upon those attracted to their own gender and told them it was sinful. Men were not meant to like men the way they liked women. Nat was lucky enough to have understanding and accepting parents but he did not know Edd well enough to know if his parents were supportive.   

When Nat finished the last of his milkshake and the checks were paid, they ventured out into the parking lot. The moon was half shielded by thick clouds and it was quiet outside. There were no other customer cars in the parking lot. Edd’s mind was still trying to process his emotions while Nat tried to give him space to think it through. If Nat had known the small boy was this fragile, he would not have been so intense but he could not stop himself. Nat did not have good self restraint and everything Edd did only seemed to agitate that fact. The image of Edd as a bunny made Nat’s chest tighten. It had been a long time since someone had made Nat feel like this, not since Amy.

“I’m sorry,” Nat muttered, finally breaking the silence that stretch between them as they drove back to Edd’s house.

Edd’s gave shifted from the passing landscapes to the driver. The way Nat kept moving his hands over the wheel that drew Edd’s attention, like he was trying to find the proper place to rest his hands. It finally dawned on the passenger that Nat was also embarrassed about the entire situation and for some reason that calmed Edd’s nerves. He was not the only one trying to figure out what happened.

“I’m use to being in control but whenever I am around you all that control goes out the window.” Nat continued, not looking away from the road. “I think you are interesting Edd. I want to get to know you better but I don’t want to scare you off in the process. The intense stare in the diner was not something I wanted, it just happened. There have been so many people that have decided to not be my friend when they found out I was bisexual. I hope that does not change how you think of me. I haven’t felt like this about another person in a while. I don’t know how to deal with it since the last time I let someone get close to me, I got hurt.”

Edd let Nat’s words sink in. No one had ever called him interesting. People usually called him a dork or weakling, but never interesting. The words made Edd feel light, weightless. A joy filled his heart as he looked at Nat.

“I would love to get to know you better Nat. Though I have never been close with anyone other than two people, I too do not know how to proceed with our friendship. Your orientation does not change that fact in the slightest. It would be silly to dismiss a budding friendship due to that fact. I really enjoyed myself tonight and hope there are many such nights in the future.”

A weight was lifted off Nat. “Thanks Edd, I really appreciate that.”

 


	7. The Storm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back for another chapter!! I want to thank you guys for reading my story. You guys are awesome and amazing people. Please leave reviews so I can get some input on my writing, good or bad!  
> Love Eden

 A month had passed since the movie night. There were a few more awkward moments between Edd and Nat but Nat was trying to be on his best behavior when the other boy was around. Every time there was an uncomfortable situation, Edd’s reactions became less and less severe. Flirting slipped into conversation, mostly on Nat’s part as if he was testing the waters slowly. Edd, who was not use to flirting, now expected it in casual conversations with the teal haired boy.

Edd awoke to the sound on heavy rain on his window. The unexpected rain caused his to have to modify his outfit for the day. Boots replaced Toms and a water-proof jacket was retrieved from the hallway closet. The rain seemed to pick up as Edd was in the shower, now accompanied but bouts of lightning and thunder. Looking out the window, the visibility only reached a few feet from the house. This was not a good way to start the morning.

“Oh, this is not good,” Edd groaned. “By the time I am able to reach to bus stop, I will be soaked to the bone, even with the cover of an umbrella.”

An idea popped into Edd’s head and he went in search of his phone. It was still next to his bed, charging. Unplugging it, Edd went into his contacts looking for a specific phone numbers. He scrolled to the N section and tapped on Nat’s contact info. Opening up his messenger, Edd sent a quick, polite text.

_Good morning Nat, sorry if this message woke you up but I have a favor to ask. Due to the terrible weather conditions, taking to bus to school it not logical nor is it safe at this time. May I request a ride from you to class?_   

* * *

 

 

Across town, Nat’s phone chirped as it received a new message. He set his cereal bowl in the sink and picked up his phone, wondering who was texting him this early. Most of his friends were still asleep, opting for night classes. No one ever contacted him this early. Nat unlocked his phone and opened the text.

“Of course Edd would be up this early,” muttered Nat. “He is the opposite of any normal kids his age.”

He sent a quick reply back- _Sure I was about to head out soon anyways. I’ll be there in about 15 or 20 minutes_ \- before grabbing his bag and heading to his car. From inside his apartment, the rain did not sound as severe but he was wrong. There was a curtain on water spilling of the roof which he had to pass to get to the parking lot. The quick run to his car left his clothes damp, making him shiver. Turning on the heater, Nat held his hand in front of the vents to warm his hands. When sensation came back into his fingers, Nat headed for Edd’s house. Luck enough, Edd’s house was not too far out of the way of Nat’s normal route to school.

_Maybe I should ask if Edd wants to carpool from now on instead of taking the bus in the morning. It would save him a little money on bus fares._ Nat thought as the turned into the cul-de-sac.

Edd’s home was at the beginning of the neighborhood, the only white house among the brightly colored houses. The white exterior matched the residence though. Nat could not imagine Edd living in a green or pink house. White just fit the boy better, clean and pure.

The front door opened as Nat pulled into the driveway. Edd had been waiting by the front window for the blue car. Standing under the awning, Edd hesitated as he gauged the distance between the front door and the car. After popping open his umbrella, Edd made a mad dash for the car. Nat smiled at Edd’s attempt at running, elbows out with quick, short strides that reminded Nat a flightless bird. The car door opened and slammed shut as Edd settled into the passenger seat properly.

“Salutations and good morning to you Nat. I thank you for coming out of your way to retrieve me in such terrible weather conditions.”

Nat shrugged and headed back to the main road. “No problem, I was just about to head to school anyways. Your house is not that far outside my normal route really. I was actually thinking that maybe I would see if you wanted to ride with me in the mornings.”

“I would not want to be a bother,” Edd frowned.

Nat laughed. “If I was really a bother for me than I would not have asked in the first place. We are going to the same place anyways.”

Taking a moment, Edd weighed the benefits of the arrangement. The pros included no more crowded morning bus rides next to strangers, saving on his monthly allowance by carpooling, friendly conversations, a heated car during the cold season to come, and more time alone with Nat. The last point made Edd blush at the thought of the private time they would have in the morning. Recently, Edd felt drawn more and more to his teal haired companion but their busy schedules left little time for socializing past text messaging back and forth.

“I accept your generous offer,” Edd finally replied. “But I request that we depart from my house no later than 7. This will give us an adequate amount of time to get coffee if needed and prepare for Dr. Harper’s lecture.”

The parking lot was not very full so Nat was able to get a parking space close to the science building. Edd stood at the ready to get out of the car, umbrella poised for the coming rain. Nat fished around in his back seat for his own umbrella but to not avail. Edd say him come up empty and decided to take the initiative. Stepping out of the car, Edd jogged over to Nat’s door, waiting patiently for Nat. Nat stepped out of the car and plucked the umbrella from Edd’s delicate hands. Since he was taller, Nat thought that it would better if he held the umbrella. Their bags stayed between them so they would not get wet. Their pace was slower, not wanting to leave the other behind. Edd had to try to match Nat’s long strides. The overhang outside the building sheltered them from the downpour. Nat shook of the umbrella and handed it back to Edd.

“That would have been a most unpleasant walk from the bus stop if you had not come to my rescue.” Edd looked at the bus stop off in the distance.

“Well, I wouldn’t want my bunny to get wet.” Before Nat could stop himself, he placed his hand on top of Edd’s head.

Stepping out of reach, Edd pulled away from Nat instinctively. The warmth of Nat’s hand ghosted across his scalp through his hat. His first instinct was to think that Nat was trying to remove his hat like so many people have tried to do many times throughout his life. Fear crept into his eyes as Nat took a step towards him, hands out apologetically. He must have looked like a scared animal for Nat to approach his like that.

“Excuse me, I-I need to go to the restroom. I’ll meet you in the classroom.”

And so, Edd fled from Nat. 

* * *

 

It was not until Dr. Harper started taking attendance that Edd finally took his seat next to Nat. The boy in the black hat did not acknowledge him, just took out his notes and focused on the beginning of the lecture. Words burned in Nat’s throat and on his tongue, unspoken and guilty. Nat had seen the bruises that Edd occasionally sported under badly applied make up and it hurt his heart to see Edd react in such a way to a simple, casual touch from a friend.

_What happened to Edd when I’m not around?_ Nat wondered as he watched Edd settled into his seat.

“Okay, so now we are onto the next chapter. I know a few of you are excited for this thought provoking topic: sexuality.” Dr. Harper sat on his desk as he looked at his student. “If you’ve read the chapter like I hope you all did, there are many different theories about sexuality but for today I will be focusing on Sigmund Freud’s theories.”

Edd’s pen glided over the top line of a blank page, marking it the start of a new chapter. ‘Sexuality’ was written in large letters with ‘Freud’ on the line right below it. He had already read the chapter as his professor required but Edd was having a hard time comprehending what it all meant. Psychology was a different breed of science compared to physics or chemistry, both of which Edd was knowledgeable in. Those could be explained with equation but psychology did not follow what Edd knew. This chapter also seemed ironic with what was happening with Edd and Nat recently.

“I always thought that Freud to be insightful, even when his theories were refuted by the psychology community. One of my favorite theories is that everyone starts out bisexual.”

A mummer ran through the lecture hall, fueled by shock or anger from those who did not read the chapter like they were supposed to prior to class. Such an idea to a new mind clashed with religious teachings and what was expectable in society. Nat shook his head at the comments around him. There were many closed minds in this class, Nat realized. Looking over at Edd, Nat did not see any reaction to the lecture or the comments from his classmates.

Dr. Harper raised his hand for silence before continuing. “I understand that the theory is not agreeable but in this class we will be learning about and discussing theories that you may not agree with. I am not here to sway you one way or the other. I am just a vessel for learning and you must decide what you wish to take away from the lectures.”

Everyone seemed to calm down, comprehending that their reactions were childish and that they signed up for this class. All eyes were on Dr. Harper as started a slide show for all to see, taking a moment to collect himself before turning back to the class. 

“Now, let’s get back to the lesson. So, Freud was not saying that people stay bisexual their whole lives. Childhood experiences with friends and family shaped a child’s sexual preference, whether it is homo or heterosexual. In are rare cases in which people choice neither side completely, opting for bisexuality.”

The tip of Edd’s pen came to a halt as he scribbled notes. Ink pooled around the point, soaking into the paper but Edd did not notice that as he was lost in thought. His parents had not been around most of his life so, by using Freud’s theory, the confusion over his sexual orientation could be looked at from his limited interaction with his mother and father. Unable to make the attachments like normal children, Edd was not able to develop his own sexuality. There were only a few girls in the neighborhood and none of his experiences with them were very pleasant. Sarah was mean, Nazz was ditzy, and the Kanker sisters were just terrors. The revelation shook Edd to the core. The things left out of his childhood left him socially and sexually stunted. Anger filled his chest, at his parents and at himself for not reaching out. The outcome of the neglect left him questioning what he wanted in a partner. He had thought he was just uninterested in the opposite sex but it seemed more complicated than that.

The lecture ended and Edd was still sitting in silence. Mentions of more reading and upcoming due dates floated up to Edd before they were dismissed. Students stood to leave but a teaching assistant rushed in and said something hurriedly to Dr. Harper, who then turned to the class. He gained their attention once again, directing them back to their seats.

“A tornado was spotted close by so I was instructed to keep you all here for the time being. This building is safe but I would ask you all to stay away from the doors and window. Classes have been cancelled until further notice.”

Nat walked with Edd out into the hallway. The smaller boy was on his phone, calling his high school to inform them of the situation and the reason for his absence until the storm had passed. A woman on the other end confirmed that she got it into the computers and that all of his teachers had been sent an email so he was not counted as absent. A weight seemed to lift off Edd as he hung up the phone. Tardiness was a trigger for his anxiety. Nat relaxed as Edd calmed down.

Nat spoke first. “So what do you want to do? I mean, there isn’t much we can do about the weather so we are stuck here for now.”

 Nat stuck his hands in his pockets and walked towards a cluster of comfy chairs that was tucked into a corner. The area was meant to be a study area but there was not enough light to read properly or take good notes. Nat had found this hidden alcove by accident his first semester. Many naps had been taken on the long red sofa that sat against the wall. Edd followed him, sitting on the couch.

“The lecture was interesting, wasn’t it?” Nat prodded as he sat next to Edd. “Freud was kinda weird at times but the whole bisexual thing made sense in a way. It tied in well with the concept of the Oedipus and Electra complexes that Dr. Harper was talking about.”

Edd shrugged. “I cannot say that I can agree with the theory since I lacked the attention of my parents when I was a child. They are doctors and venture out into the world, trying to do what they can in third world countries. There was nothing to condition my sexuality really.”

Nat was floored at Edd’s honesty. The small boy had never mentioned his parents and Nat could see why. A mere reference to his parents seemed to bring up a lot of past pain and possible trauma that Nat could not even start to comprehend. His family was warm and welcoming, even if they did annoy him from time to time. But they were there for him no matter what.

“That’s not your fault Edd. You did not choose to be left alone so your parents are the only ones at fault in this situation. But, just because you were not shaped by your parents does not mean that you won’t find out what you like or want in life. Have you ever liked or been attracted to a girl?”

Edd only shook his head.

“Okay,” Nat continued methodically, almost scientifically. “Does the sight of a naked female body turn you on?”

“No, never,” Edd muttered blushing, thankful that there was no one around to hear his answers. “My friend Eddy had a wide assortment of vulgar magazines and I felt nothing towards the pictures. He thought I was weird but they just did not… do it for me.”

“What does do it for you than?” Nat asked curiously.

The boy’s mouth opened than closed. Words, embarrassing words, sat on the tip of his tongue bitterly. He remembered the time when he found one of Eddy’s sports magazines and how he marveled at the musculature of the male players in various stages of game play or practice. A strange feeling clouded Edd’s mind and he had to excuse himself to get some fresh air. The players were clothed yet Edd felt more towards them than the women posing nude.

“There was this one time- with a magazine… it was not a dirty magazine… it was a sports issue…” Edd trailed off, humiliated at his inability to speak properly.

The harsh words that Edd expected his not come. Nat sat calmly as Edd tried to explain himself. Something about his reaction made Edd feel safe enough to even talk about his. Maybe it was because Nat had gone through the same struggle. He was living proof that being gay was not a death sentence. Relief blossomed in Edd’s chest. The questions that had been plaguing him for months were so easily answered. He just needed to a test to see if everything was simple as he thought.

In the dim corner, Edd leaned forward, closing the gap between them, and kissed Nat.

 


	8. The Kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely people!! Thanks so much for the reviews and I wish to hear more from you all. I feel so lucky to have such loyal readers. Hope you enjoy this chapter!  
> Love Eden

Nat was surprised at the softness and the tenderness of Edd’s lips that he had never felt before. Edd was not forceful, more curious than anything at the feel of another guy’s lips against his own. Nat was afraid to move, to break the most intimate, innocent kiss he’d ever had. Soft fingers brushed Nat’s cheek bones and the kiss became more urgent than before. Edd was growing bold as he wrapped his arms around Nat’s neck. A heat built up in Nat, hot and sweet, that wanted to take control of him. Nothing else mattered to him except the boy kissing him. Nat’s arms circled Edd’s waist and pulled him closer so their chests were flush against each other. Nat’s tongue licked Edd’s lower lip, asking permission. After a moment of hesitation, Edd opened his mouth and his tongue met Nat’s. The taste of mint filled Nat’s mouth and nose. With one quick movement, Nat placed Edd in his lap, never breaking lip contact. A groan left Nat’s mouth as Edd’s weight settled in on time. The smaller boy was light and warm to the touch.

Edd’s hands moved into Nat’s teal hair, marveling at how soft it was between his fingers. Every nerve in his body was tuned into Nat’s touch, the feel of his lips. The chemical release in his brain made him euphoric and light headed. This was unlike anything he had ever experienced, nothing like Marie’s forced kisses from his childhood or the pecks on the cheek from Nazz. Edd felt as if he was being wrapped in a warm blanket, safe and happy. Nat’s heart faced against Edd’s chest, matching his own heart beats as his heart slammed his rib cage.

Thunder rocked the building, scaring Edd and Nat. Their noses were still touching with breathe mingling in the small space. Neither of them pulled away, daring the other to break away. Edd’s cheeks held a firm, vivid blush and his lips were a little swollen from the kissing. Nat could not take his eyes off Edd, blown away the emotions he was able to stir up. Edd did not move out of Nat’s lap nor did Nat want him to go.

“So?” Nat asked curiously.

A shy smile appeared on Edd’s face and he just nodded, unable to find the words to describe the kiss properly. Pulling Edd back to him, Nat put his face in the crook of Edd’s neck, understanding that there would be no words from Edd for a while. It was a lot to take in and Nat was willing to wait for him to fully process what just happened. There was no need to force affection on Edd, not when he was willing to make the first move. Edd’s cologne was light and crisp, reminding Nat of a summer day. It took every ounce of restraint to kiss Edd again. They were in a public place and Nat did not want Edd to regret anything that could possibly follow. There were steps Nat needed to take with Edd before he introduced him to more intimate matters. They had all the time in world. 

* * *

 

Kevin was glad to hear that the storm finally passed. The student body had been stuck in the library, the gym, and the cafeteria, away from all windows. Kevin was lucky enough to be near the library when all students were told to head to the closest tornado safe zones. One of the fun things about living in Mid-West United States was tornados. But the school was prepared.

Finding a comfy reading chair, Kevin pretended to listen to the assistant principle reviewed the safety plans. He had heard the speech a million times and it never changed. If a tornado were to actually hit Peach Creek High, Kevin out be fine. The entire time the storm was raging outside, Kevin was worried one thing. First, where was Edd at? Did his college hold him due to the storm? Their study hall was cancelled, as were all the other classes. Kevin made a mental note to ask Double Dee for his number. An anxiety settled on Kevin as the minutes passed and the minutes turned into an hour. He had homework to do but his mind wondered, making it hard to focus on the events of World War II.

The assistant principle walked over to Kevin with a manila envelope. “Can you go the office really quick to drop of some paper work for me?”

Kevin nodded and started walking to the office. It was eerie how quiet the halls were in the middle of the day. With all of students tucked away in different parts of the school, Kevin felt vulnerable for some reason. The office was next to the front entrance, near the student parking lot. Rain lightly pattered on the doors and windows, the sky a deep black. The weather was calming down finally. The elderly secretary was the only one in the office, reading a small romance novel that had a half naked cowboy on the front.

She looked up at the sound of the door opening, laying her book down. “How can I help you Mr. Barr?”

“Mr. Sims wanted me to drop this off.” Kevin handed over the envelope. “Hey, do you know if Eddward Vincent came in to school today? One of the teachers was had not seen him yet and was worried.”

The lie easily rolled off Kevin’s tongue but he did not feel bad. He was actually worried that something had happened to Edd. Knowing the dork, he would have called in sick so that the school would have it on record or something like that. He was courteous enough for that kind of thing.

“He called earlier from the college campus to inform us that he was being held at the school due to the weather. He should be coming to school whenever he is released from the campus.” She frowned as she talked; hoping Edd was safe where ever he was. Edd had been her assistant on and off since he entered high school.

Kevin only nodded and left the office, relief relaxing his body. He had not realized how tense he had been the past hour, sitting in that library chair. Muscles slowly released their knotted forms and soreness took its place that only a steaming hot shower could fix. With the weather being as it was, football practice was most likely cancelled.

The walk back to the library was not as quiet as the secretary’s voice spoke over the loud speakers, releasing students to their respective classes. The tornado warning was over and the papers that Kevin brought to the office must have been the okay to let the school day continue as normal. After picking up his back pack from the library, Kevin headed to his class. The halls were once again filled with students but he did not pay them any mind. His mind kept wondering to the skinny boy that was most likely on his way back to school.

In the month that school had started, Kevin had been paying more attention to Edd. The change of style really made Edd’s features stand out more. Without the baggy clothes or sweater vests with those ridiculous ties, Edd actually looked good. Kevin had to try really hard not to stare at Edd’s butt whenever he walked by. There were only a few people that knew that Kevin was bisexual. One of the baseball players, Thomas, was the one who made Kevin realize that fact about himself. During one baseball summer camp, Kevin came to terms with his sexuality, with Thomas’ help, thought he still had to keep that secret close to him. As the captain of the football team, he did not want to cause a rift in the team between those who would accept him and those who would make his life a living hell. Kevin had never felt attracted to Edd until that meeting in the hallway the first day of school. They had grown up together and lived across the street from each other. To Kevin, Edd was a dork and his friends were annoying. But something had changed and Kevin did not know how to even handle it. He did not even know if Edd swung that way. It would be humiliating to ask Edd and get turned down. Edd could hold it over his head, letting have all the vengeance he wanted for all the summer’s Kevin chased him and the other Eds down for a stupid scam they pulled.

_I will just have to suck it up._ Kevin thought, sighing aloud. 

* * *

 

 

Nat was nice enough to offer Edd a ride to school after the campus finally released them. His afternoon class was cancelled so Nat had nothing better to do. The school was in the same area as Edd’s house so it did not take long to get to the front of Peach Creek High. The weather had cleared for the most part with little drizzles here and there, but nothing like that morning. Conversations between Nat and Edd were not long but Nat was okay with that. Every so often, he would catch Edd staring at him. When their eyes would meet, Edd would quickly look away, blushing.

“This is your stop,” Nat said as he put his car in park.

Edd smiled at Nat. “Thank you for the ride.”

“No problem.”

Edd leaned over and brushed his lips against Nat’s, light as a feather. The contact almost broke Nat’s will power but as soon as it started it was over. Edd climbed out of the car and only turned to wave before he disappeared into the school.

_I’m going to have to take a cold shower when I get home._ Nat thought as he drove away, his pants a little too tight on his body. 

* * *

 

Edd was on cloud nine as he walked through the halls. His experiment turned out better than expected. The dopamine from the kisses flooded Edd’s body. He felt like he had just finished a relaxing yoga class. All of his muscles were loose and his lips tingled whenever he thought of the kiss. He had never experience such emotions before but his body seemed to crave the experience. With one kiss, Edd could finally say that he was gay for a fact. Of course it would present challenges but he could overcome them. All he had to do was make it through his senior year.

The classes seemed to blur together. Edd took notes as best as he could but the teal haired boy kept coming to the forefront of his mind. A giddy feeling would consume him and he could not stop smiling. Even though Edd knew it was against school policy, Edd wanted to text Nat to see what he was up to.

_Was this what it is like to have a crush on someone? How could anyone accomplish anything with their emotions in control of everything?_

On the other side of the classroom, Kevin could not stop staring at the smiling boy. Ever since Edd walked into the classroom, Kevin could not tear his eyes away. There was a glow that surrounded Edd and when he smiled Kevin felt like melting. Something was preoccupying Edd’s mind and Kevin wanted to know so badly. Kevin had seen Edd excited about science and math before but this was something completely different. He was more confident in his movements, smiling at everyone and making eye contact. The solitary dork rarely ever made eye contact with others, not wanting to draw attention to himself in any way. Any hope of Kevin ignoring his feelings for Edd dissolved when one of those brilliant smiles was directed at him.

It was weird to Kevin that Edd kept checking his phone as he if he was expecting a text or something. Edd had chastised Kevin before about the use of cell phones in school so Edd rarely ever took his phone out of his locket. A heavy feeling settled on his chest as Kevin realized Edd was in such a good mood because he was thinking about someone else. The smiles were not meant for him. It was just the joy that Edd was feeling, thinking about someone else. Kevin felt like a deflated ball as he put his head down on the desk, wanting to disappear.

 


	9. How did it end up like this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings lovelies! I hope you all enjoyed the last chapter. I put my head and soul into that kiss. It was not much but there will be more to come! The KevEdd portion is coming soon so stay tune.   
> Love Eden

Nazz leaned against her locker, talking to another cheerleader. Unlike most of the other sports teams that got cancelled due to the weather, Nazz had to go and find all the cheerleaders to tell them they still had practice after school let out. All the girls were bummed having already made plans. Nazz hated that coach made her do it but her teammates respected her more than the coaches. That is why Nazz was elected cheer captain.

The girl’s demeanor changed as she looked over Nazz’s shoulder. Nazz turned around and watch Kevin swagger towards them with his hands in his pockets. The way he was walking put Nazz on edge. Nazz was the only one that truly knew how Kevin’s mind worked and she knew that the way he was walking towards her meant something was wrong. He was trying to look relaxed as possible so that others would not know that he was falling apart inside. It was his shield from the world.

“Hey Beverly, can I steal Nazz for a second?” Kevin leaned close to the girl, making her blush. “I’ll bring her back in one piece.”

With that, Beverly ran off to find the nearest person to gossip to. Nazz was use to being seen as Kevin’s girl so she did not care what others said about them. They were childhood friends and she was the first person Kevin turned to after he came back from that fateful summer camp that changed his life. She was his secret keeper. Whenever something happened that Kevin could not wrap his head around, Nazz became his sound board.

Nazz followed Kevin to one of the deserted computer rooms. Kevin’s demeanor changed when the door closed as if all the air had left his body. Sinking into a nearby chair, Kevin put his head in his hands. Panic filled Nazz as she knelt in front of the boy, putting a hand on his knee. It took Kevin a moment to be able to talk as he found the emotions that clogged his throat.

“Remember that time you had a crush on Travis and you found out that he liked that girl Claire?” Kevin asked quietly.

Nazz nodded, confused. “Yeah, I cried for like a month. We ate a lot of ice cream and pizza that month. Kevin, what’s wrong.”

“Back then I didn’t understand what you were going through but I completely understand that now. I can’t stop thinking about Edd. I’ve got it bad Nazz but I think he likes someone else. He doesn’t even know that I am interested in him. Today, I saw him glow and he smiled at me like- oh Nazz it was like looking at the sun.”

Once Kevin started talking he could not stop. The words just kept coming. He talked about everything from the first day of class to finding out his feeling for Edd. All the words tumbled out and Kevin was glad to finally say them aloud. Nazz took the information in stride, nodding silently. If she asked a question she would ruin Kevin’s verbal vomit and it would not start back as honest or pure. She had experienced this when Kevin talked about Thomas and when they had a falling out. It was better for him to let it all out before asking questions.

“So, Double Dee huh,” Nazz finally said when Kevin stopped his rant.

Kevin only nodded, out of words.

“So you fell for Double Dee and now you think he has found someone else. It is really all speculation at this point, dude. You assumed that he found someone without finding the truth first. I was only able to get over Travis when I found the truth. How about you get all the details before we spend a month destroying our diets when we have to be at peak performance for football season, okay?” Nazz had become wise ever since they entered high school and Kevin was glad that she was his best friend.

“I don’t know how to find out though. I mean, I don’t want to just go up and ask him. It would be too obvious that I was watching him like a creeper.” Kevin sat back in the seat and took off his hat so that he could run his hands through his short red hair.

Nazz stood up. “What if I asked him? That way you can get your answer without outing yourself. If you are this tore you over something you don’t know, you will completely fall apart if your assumptions are correct. It’s the safest option for everyone. Then, we can either celebrate with or mourn over pizza.”

Kevin swept Nazz up into a hug. “Nazz, you are a life saver. Meet me at my house later. I’ll supple the pizza and see if I can get my hands on some beer.”

“Deal,” Nazz smiled and bounced out of the room. 

* * *

 

Edd was checking his phone again. At lunch, he finally worked up the courage to send Nat a text message. Nat had responded quickly, chastising Edd for texting during school. He knew it was not allowed but he wanted to hear from Nat. They had texted on and off for most of the day, whenever Edd was between classes or in the restroom. It was nice having someone to talk to. Edd now understood why his classmates texted during class.

“It’s surprising to see the top student looking at his phone during school hours.”

Edd jumped and saw Nazz standing next to him, smiling. He tucked his phone back into his pocket. It was not uncommon for Nazz to approach him. Whenever one of the cheerleaders was failing a class, Nazz asked Edd to tutor the girl until she was able to get her grades up. It was a bad sign for the cheerleader that already needed help in the first month of school.

“Greetings Nazz, I did not hear you approaching. Does one of your teammates need assistance in their studies?”

Nazz laughed. “Nah dude, this is not one of those talks. I want to know what is up with you today. I haven’t seen you this happy since you won the science fair in middle school.”

“I am no happier than any other day I can assure you.”

“Dude, you are practically glowing. You are using your phone during school. The Edd I know would kick this Edd’s ass for that offence.” Nazz leaned against the lockers.

“It is nothing really. I just made a new friend in my college class and I have not had a new friend in quite some time so I maybe a little happier for that reason. Now if you will excuse me Nazz I must be off to my class.” Edd left without another word from Nazz.

Nazz’s words settled on Edd quickly and he rushed to the nearest restroom. Had anyone else noticed his change? Walking around like that most likely left him vulnerable to threats. He was use to walking around, scanning for people like Daniel. It had kept him safe for many years. The happiness he felt dissipated and left him with only dread. Daniel would find out, he always found out. The school day was coming to a close which meant a possible meeting from Daniel.

_I must rein in these emotions or it could cause me some unneeded pain._ Edd thought as he tried to calm down.

Edd made it to class right as the bell rang. He found his seat at the front of the class and took out his class materials. Unknown to the pale boy, he was being watched again. Kevin was watching him but there was another set of eyes on him. Daniel sat next to Kevin and was also watching Edd as he entered.

When classes finally resumed, Daniel made his way to the front office. He was one of the student assistants for that semester. He had been day dreaming when he saw a car pull up outside. It was a beautiful blue sports car. Daniel would have looked away but I recognized one of the boys in the car. Edd leaned over and kissed the driver before heading into the school. An evil grin spread across Daniel’s face. He had always wondered if the dork was gay and now he knew for sure. Edd had spent the rest of the day walking around like he owned the place, smiling like an idiot. Every time Daniel passed Edd, Daniel had to control the urge to torment the small boy. But he had come up with a better plan that would make his suffering even better.

Halfway through class, Daniel got up to ask the teacher a question about the worksheet she passed out. He already knew the answer but it was a tactic to get close to the dork. As he walked back to his seat, Daniel put a note on Edd’s desk without looking in his direction. It was quite smooth really. Edd was too concentrated on his work to notice Daniel’s presence. It was as if the note had just appeared out of thin air.

Edd unfolded the note, reading it carefully.

_I saw the sweet kiss with your boyfriend when you got to school. If you don’t want anyone else to find your little secret, come to the pool after class. Wait on the bleachers._

_D_

Edd’s blood froze in his body. He could not breathe. That innocent kiss in the car was witnessed by someone who wanted to harm him. Through process of elimination, D could only be Daniel, the swim captain himself. They shared this class together as well. Edd wanted to turn and look but fear kept him in place. Every fiber of his being told him to run, run far away but he could not avoid Daniel forever. If he went to the meeting, the torment may not stretch out longer than necessary.

Kevin watched Edd as he opened a note. A shiver racked his frail body. Kevin knew something was wrong the moment Edd walked into the room. His glow was completely diminished and he looked terrified. Between the span of the previous class and this one, something spooked Edd. Had Nazz found him between classes? Did she say something that set him off? Questions filled his head and he could not focus on the assignment at all.

When the bell rang, Edd sprung from his desk like a scared rabbit. Kevin could not reach him before he disappeared into the crowded hallway. Kevin was rather bulky so he could not easily maneuver in crowds. Also, he was well known so people stopped him often to talk. It was a lost cause, chasing after Edd. 

* * *

 

The pool was crowded with swimmers when Edd finally got the nerve to show up. They were too busy with exercised to notice Edd take a seat at the top of the bleachers, in a dark corner. He did not expect to have to wait for the beating for so long. The psychological torment only made his nerves raw. Every so often, Daniel would look over at the bleachers and smile, knowing that Edd had nowhere to run.

Practice ended and all the swimmers went into the locker room to change. Edd weighed the repercussions of fleeing while he was alone. The wrath of Daniel would only be fueled at the chase. It would draw out the pain. All the swimmers came and went, leaving only Daniel unaccounted for. Edd sat still and waited. Finally, Daniel walked out of the locker room. He scanned the bleachers until he locked eyes with his prey. Motioning for Edd to follow, Daniel started walking back towards the school. Edd followed at a safe distance down the long, empty halls and out into the parking lot.

“Get in,” Daniel grunted as they reached his car.

Edd obediently followed the order, buckling himself in. Fear made him shake as he sat trapped in Daniel’s car. Metal music filled the car as Daniel drove out of the parking lot. It was clear from the familiar route that they were headed to Edd’s neighborhood. There was always a chance of being rescued if he was being beaten at school but no one would be around to save him at home. His parents were never around and he did not have plans with Ed or Eddy today.

_I am going to die._ Edd thought as they pulled into his driveway.

Daniel came around to open Edd’s door and directed him towards the house. His hands shook as he tried to open the door but he kept dropping them. Daniel picked them up, found the right key, and opened the door. Edd shuffled in, taking off his shoes out of routine. Daniel followed suit, taking off his own shoes after closing the door. The house was very dark and quiet.

“W-would you like any refreshments?” Edd could not stop himself from talking, playing host as he was taught.

“Water would be nice.” Daniel wandered around the living room, stopping at every picture.

Edd fled to the kitchen. There was filtered water in the fridge. After feeling around in the dark, Edd found a clean glass. The light from the fridge make Edd’s eyes hurt from the sudden brightness. Everything was orderly and in its correct spot, milk on the left, fruits in the drawer, and premade meals sealed and dated properly. Edd filled the glass and closed the fridge.

As the light blinked out of existence, hands grabbed Edd and shoved him against the counter. The glass shattered on the ground, water splashing everywhere. Edd’s hips dug into the edge of the counter as he tried to free himself.

“So the cat is out of the bag. I always had my suspicions that you were a faggot, not that any girl would like you if were normal.”

Edd struggled in Daniel’s grasp. “P-please release me Daniel. I do not want any trouble.”

Daniel’s cologne chocked Edd as the taller boy leaned in close. Something in the air was different. Edd was use to the violence that clogged the air whenever Daniel and his friend were around. But it was not a blood lust like normal. There was something strange about how David was acting. By now Edd would have been bleeding on the floor and Daniel would have been gone.

One of Daniel’s hands crept under Edd’s shirt, caressing his hip bone. Edd’s breath hitched at the contact. Unlike Nat’s gentle touch, Daniel’s hands were rough. Breathe tickled Edd’s neck before Daniel’s lips grazed his skin. Teeth bit harshly into pale skin and Edd cried out. It was all too much for him. He had just come to terms with his sexuality and now he was being assaulted by his bully after finding out he was gay.

“Daniel, please stop this foolishness.”

A growl was the only response Edd got. Daniel pulled Edd away from the counter and pulled him into the living room then pushed him against the wall. They were facing each other now. Daniel crushed his lips against Edd’s as he pinned the frail boy’s hands over his head. Things were spiraling out of control so quickly. A thigh pressed against Edd’s groin as Daniel’s tongue invaded his mouth. Edd could feel Daniel’s erection through his pants and he started to panic.

_No no no, I do not want this at all. It cannot happen like this, not with him._

“You are mine now,” Daniel said as he fumbled with Edd’s belt. “I’ll break you so bad that even that teal haired fag won’t touch you again.”

Panic took over Edd. When Daniel’s tongue drove back into his mouth, Edd bit down as hard as he could. Edd was finally free from Daniel’s grasp. Daniel had blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. A punch made Edd’s head snapback, bouncing his head against the wall. Black spots filled his vision. This would be the only opportunity for escape and Edd took it. Dashing up the stairs, Edd ran into his bathroom and locked the door. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and called Nat.

The phone picked up after two rings. “Hey Edd what’s-”

“Nat, you have to help me!!! There is a guy in my house and he assaulting me. Please, I do not know what to do. ”

There was a loud banging on the door. “I know you’re in there dork! I’ll break down this door if you don’t open the fucking door!”

Edd tried to get as far as possible away from the door, fearing it would crumble at any moment. “Please, I do not know what to do. I am afraid.”

“I’m coming right now. When I hang up, call the cops okay. Hold on.” Nat hung up from his end, leaving Edd alone.

The pounding and shouting continued, driving Edd mad with fear. If Nat did not get here in time, who knows that Daniel would do to him. A crash from downstairs distracted Daniel. Edd could hear him stomping down the stairs. A yelling match started that Edd could not hear from his hiding place. After a few crashes, everything got quiet again before a car sped down the road.

Soft footsteps made the stairs creek as someone walked up the stairs. They were too calm to be Daniel’s. Edd quickly opened the bathroom door and found Kevin on the other side, fist raised to knock. Seeing the red head brought a sob out of Edd. He was finally safe. Kevin drove off Daniel. Edd flung himself at Kevin, clinging to him like a lost child. He needed to hold onto something solid, something real.

Kevin was shocked at Edd’s disheveled state when he opened the door. A bruise was forming under his eye and across his cheek bone. His had looked as though it was about to fall off and his pants were half way undone. An angry bite mark peaked out from the collar of his shirt and his face was red from crying. Kevin’s heart broke as Edd clung to him, shaking and sobbing.

_I’m going to kill Daniel._ Kevin thought as he gathered Edd in his arms, hugging the small boy to him.   


	10. Off with the Hat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back lovely people! The last chapter took a lot of effort. I think I rewrote that chapter about three times. There has not been a lot of action so far but things are about the heat up quickly. Enjoy!  
> Love Eden

Nat had never driven so quickly in his life. He had run out of the restaurant like he was on fire, giving the chef a quick explanation before leaving. Traffic blurred together and people honked their horns angrily as he cut them off. The sound of Edd’s voice echoed in Nat’s ears. He had never heard such panic before. It was not long before Nat’s car pulled into Edd’s driveway. Tire treads were burned into the white driveway from a precious car. It must have been recent since the rain earlier would have washed it away or smudged it at least.

The door hung open, a muddy shoe print present of the wood. That was not good at all. Someone had forced themselves into Edd’s house. Nat was out of the car and in the living room swiftly, alert for the danger. A creak from upstairs drew his attention. They were upstairs. It was quiet and Nat was terrified that something bad had to the pale boy. Nat took the stairs two at a time, heart in this throat. A door on the left had indents from a fist. Throwing open the door, Nat found an empty bathroom.  The next room was the master bedroom that looked like it hadn’t been used in over a year. A light layer of dust coated all the surfaces. There was only one door left, at the end of the hall.

Kevin was surprised as Edd’s door swung open. A guy with teal hair stood in the doorway, breathing heavily. There was rage written all over his face. He stared at the shaking Edd that clung to the ginger as they sat on a bed. There were visible bruises and an angry bite mark on his neck. Kevin opened his mouth to speak but a fist made contact with his jaw.

“Let go of him,” Nat roared as he tore Edd out of the ginger’s arms.

Kevin tried to keep a hold of Edd but the other boy caught him off guard. A sob escaped Edd as he was pulled away from Kevin and pushed into his desk chair, out of the way. Kevin rushed forwards and grabbed the front of Nat’s shirt, slamming his against the wall. Nat’s fist slammed into Kevin’s exposed side. A knee made contact with Nat’s stomach, causing him to gag. Things degraded quickly.  Nat pushed Kevin away from him and Kevin fell on his ass. Nat landed hard on Kevin, digging one knee into the ginger’s chest. All the air left Kevin’s lungs as he struggled to get the knee off him.

“Please cease this violence immediately!!”

Nat and Kevin froze, seeing Edd standing over them. His panic attack had finally subsided only to see Nat and Kevin in an all out brawl in his bedroom. He vaguely remembered calling Nat frantically as Daniel tried to get into the bathroom. But he did not know why Kevin was here.

 “Nat please unhand Kevin. He came to help as well and he chased off my assailant before you arrived.” Edd put his hand on Nat’s shoulder.

“You know this guy?” Kevin asked confused.

Nodding, Edd said, “Kevin, this is Nat. He is my friend from college. Nat this is Kevin, one of my neighbors and childhood friend. By the way Kevin, why are you here? I do not remember calling you.” 

* * *

 

Kevin was outside working on his bike when he saw a car pull into Edd’s driveway. The car, he knew that car from somewhere. The swim captain got out of the car and walked around to other door. Kevin was surprised as Edd got out of the car. A hollow feeling settled in Kevin’s stomach as he watched them disappeared into Edd’s house. Kevin knew that Daniel was one of the school’s biggest bullies and Edd was always a target. A few minutes passed and dread filled Kevin. Before Kevin knew what he was doing, he was halfway across the street. The sound of glass breaking made Kevin run the rest of the way. Shouts and sounds of running came from the other side of the door. One heavy kick from Kevin opened the door. In hind sight, Kevin should have checked to see if it was unlocked before busting the door open.

As Kevin walked into the living room, Daniel came barreling down the stairs. The look on Daniel’s face made Kevin’s blood boil. Blood ran from Daniel’s mouth, dripping off his chin. Edd was nowhere to be seen.

“What the fuck are you doing here Barr?” Daniel yelled, getting in Kevin’s face.

Since Kevin was a head taller, Daniel had to look up at to meet Kevin’s eyes. These two alphas were always at odd. They could barely be in the same room without some sort of dispute. Daniel felt that Kevin never respected him, taking all of his friends when they got to high school. When he was younger, Daniel had no rival but Barr changed everything. Everyone looked up to him like he was a god or something. Rage filled his blood whenever he saw Kevin or even heard his name. Daniel had been looking forward to soiling Edd and of course Kevin would step in to stop his fun.

“Get the fuck out of Edd’s house before I call the cops!” Kevin hissed, pushing Daniel away.

Daniel took a swing at Kevin but the ginger easily dodged the punch, redirecting the momentum so that Daniel fell face first into a chair. His balance was off as Kevin grabbed him by his hair. Kevin dug his knee into Daniels kidney knowing the pain would be overwhelming.

Kevin pulled Daniel’s head back and whispered in his ear, “If you hurt Edd in any way I will-”

He was cut off as Daniel’s head slammed into his nose making him release his grip making him dizzy from the hit. Cursing, Kevin reached for him again but Daniel ran to the open door, grabbing his things as he went.

“I won’t forget this Barr,” Daniel growled before finally leaving.

Once he knew that Daniel was gone, Kevin began searching the house for Edd. 

* * *

 

Kevin and Nat sat on Edd’s bed with Edd between them. All three boys sat in silence after Edd told them everything, about the assault, Daniel’s bullying at school, and why do had let Daniel into his home. Nat’s face drained of color the more Edd talked. Kevin had to fight the urge to find Daniel and beat the shit out of him. But Edd cling to the boys, needing their comfort and safety after what just happened. How could something like this happen? Everything was going so well that morning.

Edd was the first to break the silence. “I-I wish to take a bath.”

“Of course Edd,” Kevin muttered, standing to help him up.

Nat followed suit. “I’ll go clean up the glass in the kitchen and throw a towel in the dryer so it will be warm when you get out.”

After the plan was made, Kevin helped Edd to the bathroom. Edd stopped before the door, running his hands over the intents in the wood. He sighed knowing he would have to come up with a lie to tell his parents so they would not ask too many questions. But he could think of that later. For now, Edd just needed to wash the smell of Daniel off of him.

Standing awkwardly at the door, Kevin did not know what to do. Every tense move Edd made seemed pained and it tore Kevin’s soul apart. He turned to give Edd some privacy but a hand stopped him. Looking back, Edd’s eyes pleaded with Kevin not to leave him alone so he followed the smaller boy into the bathroom.

The bathroom was not that large. Kevin sat on the counter and tried to look anywhere but at Edd, the key word being tried. Edd’s back was to him as he pulled off his shirt. Bruised peppered his body in different stages of healing. Yellow, purple, and green discolorations were hidden under the privacy of his shirt.

_How long has Edd been getting beat up?_ Kevin wondered as he slid off the counter, his fingertips grazing the bruises.

Edd jumped out of his reached out of reflex, scared. A wild look in Edd’s eyes made Kevin back off and take his seat back on the counter. Edd stared at Kevin, breathing erratic.

_Long enough to make his scared of human contact,_ Kevin thought as he slipped his hands into his pockets. He was trying to be as non-threatening as possible, not wanting to further traumatize the frail boy in front of him.

Edd finally settled down and went back to preparing his bath. Epsom salts and oils were added to the warm water as it filled the large tub with milky water. He was use to having to soak his injured body so it was almost second nature to prep these of baths. Pleasant smells filled the room and Kevin breathed in deeply, letting the fragrances relax him.

“Kevin, can you please close your eyes so I may take off the rest of my clothing.” Edd asked, blushing.

Kevin closed his eyes, his cheeks warming at the knowledge that Edd was naked not too far away from him. There was a rustle of discarded clothes and a sigh. Looking quickly between his fingers, Kevin watched as Edd lowered himself into the cloudy water. Oh god, he was so pale and delicate.

“Kevin, can you sit with your back to the tub? If I get light-headed, I do not wish to drown.”

The porcelain from the tub was warm against Kevin’s back and the smell was more overwhelming the closer he got. Edd leaned his head against the side of the tub. The water helped melt away the soreness that plagued Edd’s body. He felt safe with the ginger sitting watch. Kevin scooted closer until Edd could rest his head on Kevin’s shoulder. Kevin was about to doze off when Edd finally spoke.

“I hope what you learned today does not make you think differently of me.”

Kevin looked down at Edd. “All I care about right now is that you are safe. Just because you like guys isn’t an excuse for me to think differently of you. I would be a hypocrite if I did think differently.”

With eyebrows raised, Edd looked up at the jock confused. “What do you mean Kevin?”

“Well- you see, I’m bisexual-”

Nat opened the bathroom door, a towel over his shoulder and some painkillers in his hand. He took in the situation before him. Edd and Kevin faces were close to each other, both blushing. The sudden appearance of Nat startled Edd. As he sat up, Edd’s hat fell off his head and into the bath water. Frantically, Edd splashed around in the water to retrieve the soaked beanie. Water went over the side of the tub and soaked the back of Kevin’s shirt but he was not paying that any mind and neither was Nat.

Edd’s long, raven hair tumbled to his shoulders. It was think and wavy unlike Nat or Kevin had ever seen. The hair was majestic like a lion’s mane. But something stood out against the dark hair. A streak of silver-white ran along the front of Edd’s bangs, framing the left side of his face. In all the years that Kevin knew Edd, he would have never guessed such a thing kept Edd wearing a hat.

Horrified, Edd pulled his wet beanie back on so far that it went over his eyes. “Please forget what you just witnessed.”

“That’s so cool Edd! You look like Rogue from X-Men with that streak in your hair.” Kevin smiled as he pulled the hat back off. “Is that really what you have been hiding all these years? I always thought you had like some wicked scar or something. But this is way cooler.”

Nat laughed. “Pass me the beanie and your shirt so I can throw them in the dryer. Also Edd, you should probably take some Advil to help with the pain.”

Kevin did not argue, trading Edd’s waterlogged beanie and his damp shirt for the gel capsules and a cup of water. Edd accepted the Advil gladly trying not to stare at Kevin’s freckled back. He had seen Kevin shirtless before but never this close. A closer look let Edd see all the freckles that ran from shoulder to shoulder on top of Kevin’s tan skin. Muscles shifted under the tan skin, hard and toned. Water droplets ran down his back from where the water bled through his now discarded shirt.

It was all too much for Edd to handle as his hormones flared. Before Nat burst back in, Kevin was confessing that he was also interested in men. Now, here they both were in different stages of undress in a confided space. Thank god the water was murky or it would have been apparent that Edd was becoming turned on.  


	11. Tea and Dinner

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely people!! Sorry I have not updated in a while. I feel bad that I have not updated for you guys in a while. But I have time now to write again. Hope you enjoy it!!
> 
> Love Eden

Edd blew softly on his tea sending that aroma around the living room. Edd kept pushing his bangs out of his face wishing he could hide under his hat again. There was a strange silence as Nat and Kevin sat quietly. Neither boy seemed to know what to do next in this situation. Kevin had jumped at the mention of tea, saying something about his mom under his breath. Nat wanted to sit next to Edd but did not want to overstep any boundaries. Clattering noises and the sound of a tea pot was the only thing that echoed through the house. Kevin swore silently whenever he made too much noise. He was afraid that any sudden or loud noise would cause Edd to have another anxiety attack so he did his best to be gentle with everything he was doing.

When Kevin had set down a tray in front of Edd, Edd was blown away. Kevin had found the tea set that his parents used when entertaining, which rarely happened these days. The thought of Kevin tenderly handling the china made Edd smile as he put a spoon full of sugar in his tea. Who could have imaged those strong hands being so gentle? Edd let out a soft sigh after his first sip of the tea. The warmth of the tea spread from his stomach to the rest of his body quickly. He had drunk this tea before but not like this. It was a different experience when someone else brewed it. Edd made a mental note to ask Kevin to how him how he brewed it.

The silence was broken as Nat’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He quickly excused himself, stepping outside to take the call. Edd set the cup back on the tray gingerly and curled up on the corner of the couch. The tea was making him drowsy. His eyelids drooped slowly but snapped back open as a blanket was laid over him. Kevin drew back slowly, not wanting to startle Edd.

“I’m doing to clean up the kitchen. Call if you need anything.” Kevin smiled softly and vanished into the kitchen.

After fixing his hair for the third time, Edd slowly ran his hands through his hair as he thought about what happened during his bath. The silver streak caught the light and shimmered slightly. The discoloration came from a birthmark hidden beneath his hair. Ed and Eddy said it was silly to hide it but to Edd it was a mistake in his genetic code. The gap in his teeth could be fixed but that birthmark was with him for life. He had thought of dying it many times but it would only be a temporary fix.

‘That’s so cool Edd! You look like Rogue from X-Men…’ Kevin had said. That was the first time that someone had spoke of his hair like that. Mother and Father had explained why the discoloration happened like a scientist looking at a specimen. It was that conversation that made Edd inseparable from his hat. If his parents, who were supposed to love and support him, looked at him like that than what would strangers think? That fear kept the beanie on his head.

Nat finally came back inside. “Hey Edd, I have to get going. I was working when you called and my boss needs me to come back.”

“Oh, I am so sorry I took you away from your work! If you are needed elsewhere you should go. I’ll be fine with Kevin around.” Edd gasped.

Edd tried to smile but he looked on the verge of tears. Nat crossed the living room in a few steps and gathered Edd in his arms. Stiffness ran through Edd but quickly dissipated when his body realized he was in no danger. Nat was nothing like Daniel. He was safe with Nat. Edd wrapped his arms around Nat and clutched his shirt. Tears threatened to spill over but Edd was able to swallow down the emotions that clogged his brain. They sat like that for a little while. The sounds of Kevin doing dishes drifted into the living room.

“I thought I had lost you. I’ve never been so afraid in my life. Thank God you’re okay Edd.” Nat muttered in his hair.

Nat’s lips lightly grazed Edd forehead before letting him go. “I’ll text you when I get off work. Try to eat something before going to bed. Tell Kevin to stay over, just in case Daniel comes back. I’ll see you later.”

And with that, Nat left. Edd sat on the couch with one hand on his forehead. The skin still tingled from the contact. He tried not the think about their kiss earlier during the storm to no avail. He was still blushing when Kevin finally walked back into the living room. The ginger noticed the color on Edd’s cheeks and looked around for his friend Nat.

“Where did that guy with teal hair go?”

Edd jumped slightly, unaware that Kevin was standing next to him with a frown on his face. “O-oh, Nat had to go back to work. That was his boss who called so he had to return.”

“Makes sense,” Kevin said. “I’m glad he came.”

 “Me too,” Edd smiled than gasped as he remembered what Nat said before departing. “Hey Kevin, will you stay the night tonight?”

Kevin’s brain stopped working for a second. Stay the night? With Edd? Kevin swore he could hear Nazz giggling off in the distance but it was only his imagination. She would say something about fate and love and other gooey things. All the feelings that Kevin had been experiencing the past month bubbled up. It was not the best time though to bring up his feelings, not after Edd was just assaulted. Or was it the best time?

 “Nat thought it would be better if you stayed just in case Daniel comes back.”

Kevin smiled as all the thoughts that had been running through his head came crashing down. He felt like a deflated balloon. But he couldn’t let Edd see the change so he kept on smiling.

“Of course Edd, I’ll stay. I need to run home really quick.”

Edd stood up and followed Kevin to the door. The ginger looked at Edd confused.

“I’ll join you. I-I need the fresh air.” Edd lied smoothly, grabbing his hat and putting it on. The truth was that he did not want to be alone in his house. What if Daniel was in the shadows, waiting for Kevin to leave? All the what-ifs threatened to send Edd into another panic attack but he took a few deep, calming breaths.

Kevin’s house was right across from Edd’s. The cul-de-sac was quiet as the sun faded slowly into the horizon. A cooling breeze whispered down the road, scattering newly fallen leaves. Autumn was right around the corner. Edd shivered and stepped closer to Kevin. The jock was like a space heater. They were not even touching but Edd could feel the warmth.

_I wonder if he is hot to the touch_. Edd wondered, glancing at Kevin out of the corner of his eye. Before today that thought would have been one of science but the thought was now more out of personal curiosity that made his stomach flutter. Edd cursed his hormones for taking control rather than his rationality. He hoped Kevin did not notice his scarlet blush as he stepped away from the ginger.

There was a light on in the kitchen when Kevin and Edd came inside. A clattering of dishes and the smell of cooking food wafted towards them. Kevin’s mouth watered as he remembered it was spaghetti night. Mom promised to make her homemade meatballs. Grabbing Edd’s hand, Kevin walked quickly towards the kitchen.

“I’m home Mom! I hope you don’t mind that I invited Edd.”

Kevin’s mom, a willowy woman with bright red hair, turned to face the boys with a wooden spoon in her hand. A smile spread across her face when she saw Edd. Edd was startled with how much Kevin looked like his mother. Even their smiles were the same.

Mrs. Bar pulled Edd into a hug. “It’s been a while since I last saw you Eddward. How have you been?”

“I have been well, thank you. And please call me Edd, Mrs. Barr. Is it okay if I join you for dinner?”

“Of course you can join us Edd! I usually end up making too much anyways and it would be nice to have some company. All Kevin ever talks about his sports-this and sports-that. It is bearable when his father is around. I don’t know what he is talking about half the time.”

Mrs. Barr laughed as Kevin blushed and tried to change the subject. “D-do you need help setting the table? Do we need forks and knives?”

“And spoons too, dear.”

Edd smiled as he watched Kevin bustle around the dining room table. Kevin and his mom bantered back and forth, smiling and laughing. Soon, the table was set. A large pot of spaghetti and meatballs was set at the center of the table. Fresh garlic bread was put down after the main dish. Edd sat next to Kevin while Mrs. Barr took the seat at the head of the table. Food was portioned out and plates were filled. There was a large mountain of food on Kevin’s plate. Edd’s appetite was not that large so a smaller portion was set before him.

“Kevin, would you like to say grace?” Mrs. Barr asked.

“Sure,” Kevin smiled. “Thank you lord for this awesome food and for my mom making said awesome food. Amen.”

Dinner was nice. Edd was surprised how good Kevin’s mom cooked. Kevin destroyed his food mountain and went for second. Edd ate much slower. His mother told him that eating slower was better for the body, made it easier to process the food more efficiently. Edd was munching on his second piece of bread when Kevin finally finished all of his food.

“Edd, will you help me with the dishes?” Mrs. Barr asked.

“It would be my pleasure after such a wondrous meal. If you do not mind, I would like the recipe for you meatballs.”

Kevin helped clear the table, listening to his mother go step by step on how she makes her meatballs. Edd listened intently as he started to wash the dishes. Every so often Edd would interrupt Mrs. Barr to ask questions. Without realizing it, Kevin was staring at Edd. A warm feeling curled up in his chest when he saw Edd smiling and laughing. It was as he described it to Nazz. Edd was glowing. The way he moved was so graceful. His fingers were long and lithe as if they were meant to play the piano. And when he smiled, the gap in his teeth showed.

_He’s so cute_ , Kevin thought as he Edd handed him the last plate to dry.

“Hey mom, I’m staying over at Edd’s tonight. He is helping me with some math homework. I’ll be home after practice tomorrow.” Kevin kissed his mom on the cheek and fled the kitchen with Edd in tow before she could respond.

Kevin closed his door and began to pack an overnight bag. No knowing where to stand, Edd sat on Kevin’s bed so he would be out of the way. It did not take long for Kevin to gather his things but he looked around as if searching for something. Looking behind Edd, Kevin saw what he was looking for.

Without thinking, Kevin leaned close to Edd as he grabbed his phone charger. From the way Edd was sitting Kevin was almost hugging Edd. Not being accustomed to personal space, the ginger saw nothing wrong with it but Edd was surprised by the act. Only Ed and Eddy ever got this close to him but it never sent his heart racing like this. Kevin’s arm brushed against his. His skin was so warm and he smelled nice. All of Edd’s senses were on overdrive as Kevin finally stood up.

“I’m all set. Let’s head back before Mom tries to rope us into a board game or something cheesy like that.”

Kevin offered his hand and helped Edd off his bed. It took a lot of effort on Edd’s part to not pull his hat over his eyes. His blush was apparent on his pale skin and Kevin felt flustered at the sight of it. Hormones flooded Kevin’s system. Quickly looking away, Kevin grabbed his bag and headed downstairs. Edd followed trying to compose himself. After a quick farewell, both boys headed back across the street. The lights were still on in the living room as they took off their shoes. Edd locked the door and checked all the windows downstairs as well.

It was not until he yawned that Edd realized how tired he was. The combination of the bath, the tea, and a full stomach coupled with the earlier events made Edd drowsy. Kevin looked as equally as tired, rubbing his eye while trying not to yawn. It was still early in the evening but Edd knew neither of them could stay awake much longer.

“I think it is time to go to bed. Do you wish to sleep on the couch or in the guest bedroom?”

“Why don’t I stay in your room? Your bed is big enough and that way I will be there is you need anything.” Kevin smiled tiredly.

“M-my bed?” Edd stuttered.

Kevin was already walking up the stairs muttering about needed to brush his teeth. Edd followed him sheepishly. When Kevin vanished into the bathroom, Edd changed into his pajamas, a loose shirt and sleep pants. He was in bed by the time Kevin came into his room. The lights were off and Edd feigned sleep. A shifting of the mattress clued him in that Kevin got into bed with him. The covers shifted and warmth started to fill the space under the sheets, Kevin’s body heat if Edd had to guess.

After tossing and turning for a while Kevin’s breaths finally evened out. Edd turned to look at his sleeping companion. The light from the moon filtered into the room and across the bed. Kevin’s face was bathed in the moon light. The planes of his face stood out in light and shadows. His mouth was slightly open, breathing softly. His hair seemed to glow.

Even thought Edd was tired, he could not fall asleep. He tried everything from counting sheep to thinking of boring topics, which was a short list. Just when he was about to give up, Kevin shifted and pulled Edd into his arms so that they were spooning with Edd being the little spoon. Edd did not dare to move for he did not wish to wake up Kevin. At first the position was uncomfortable but the warmth from Kevin slowly relaxed him. Before long Edd’s eyes drooped and he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed and I will be updating soon!!


	12. Bed and Breakfast

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back for another chapter. Thanks for all the feedback I have gotten. I read all of them and you guys are awesome! It feels good to be writing again. The romance is coming I promise. Stay awesome!  
> Love Eden

Light filtered through Kevin’s eye lashes. Something nagged at the back of his mind like an internal alarm clock. Was it the weekend? The smell of breakfast that his mother usually made on Saturday or Sunday morning was not there floating around. Groaning, Kevin tried to roll over but something entangled his arms and legs. Peeking through his lashes, Kevin saw a mop of hair nuzzled into the pillow next to him. A soft breathing made Kevin’s arm rise and fall slowly. There was a flash of silver in the morning light as the person shifted.

Edd’s hair fell out of his face. Kevin’s sleepy brain slowly realized that Edd was tangled with him. There were a few flashes of memories of the night before but Kevin didn’t remember cuddling with Edd. Nazz once told Kevin that he was cuddly when he slept. It must have happened after he had fallen asleep.

_And Edd didn’t move turn away from the contact._ Kevin smiled as he buried his face in Edd’s hair.

Ever since Kevin had finally seen Edd’s hair he wanted to touch the long, black locks. It was as soft as Kevin imaged, softer than Nazz’s hair. The strands were like silk. Gentle waves crimped throughout his hair as if trying to curl. Kevin had never seen such beautiful hair. It suited Edd’s frame and pale skin. He wanted to run his hands through it but that would most likely wake the sleeping boy. Kevin was content just holding Edd.

Kevin’s phone chirped on the nightstand. The screen lit up a picture of Nazz. Frantic, Kevin scrambled for his phone so that the noise wouldn’t wake Edd up. A soft groan escaped Edd as he woke up so suddenly. Edd was confused at the situation he was in, legs tangled with Kevin’s. Yelping, Edd rolled away from Kevin and fell off the bed with a painful thud.

“Hey Nazz, what’s-?” Kevin asked as he pinned his phone to his shoulder with his head as he tried to help Edd back to his feet.

Nazz sounded pissed as she interrupted the ginger. “Dude, where are you? You were supposed to pick me up today for a study session like an hour ago. Did you forget or something?”

“Shit!” Kevin groaned. “Sorry, I had something come up yesterday that kept me up most of the night. I think I am going to skip school today. Can you do me a favor and call the office as Mom? You can tell them I won’t be at school because I’m sick or something.”

There was silence on the other end of the line. Kevin held his breath, waiting for Nazz to crave like she usually did. There were times when Kevin called in as Nazz’s dad when she was too hung over to get out of bed so she owed him. That’s what friends are for anyways, backing them up.

“Fine,” Nazz sighed. “But you owe me Kevin Barr. If anyone finds out, I’m throwing you under the bus without a second thought. Got that?”

Kevin laughed. “You’re awesome Nazz. I’ll text you later. Don’t get too bored at school!”

Edd marveled at Kevin. How could he just skip school like it was nothing? Education and good attendance was too important to dismiss so easily and to drag Nazz into it was worse. Ed and Eddy had gotten a tongue lashing multiple times in the past so Edd had the speech perfected. Edd was about to start talking when Kevin locked eyes with him. The depths of green captured him, swallowed him whole. There was kindness and understanding in those eyes that Edd had never witnessed before. All thoughts of the scolding fled from his brain. He was helpless under that gaze.

 The ginger broke the connection first. He got up from the bed and stretched, mumbling about the bathroom. He had never seen Kevin like this, so vulnerable and groggy. His gym shorts hung low on his hip and exposed his stomach when he stretched. The sliver of visible skin made Edd shiver, hormones kicking into overdrive. Little specks of dust floated around in the sun light, framing Kevin in a celestial light. A giggled bubbled up inside Edd and escaped before he could stop it.

Edd wondered if he was still sleeping because this situation did not make any sense. When did Kevin become something that Edd wanted? He had always admired Kevin, when he wasn’t bullying the Ed’s that is. Others looked up to him and he was a natural leader who spoke his mind but never in anger. The Kevin Edd had grown up was almost nonexistent. Now he was someone others strived to be like.

“You okay Edd?” Kevin asked confused.

Edd smiled. “I do not know if I am truly awake right now. How could someone look so handsome in the morning light? You are breathtaking Kevin.”

Kevin’s face heated and he tried to hide his blush. Did Edd just call him handsome and breathtaking? Edd’s fall off the bed must have been head first for him to talk so openly. The words rung in Kevin’s head as he looked down at Edd on the bed. He had heard these words before but it had never filled his stomach with butterflies.

Instinct took over and Kevin leaned down. A light kiss danced across Edd’s lips that made him want to melt. There was something there in this kiss that was lacking in Nat’s kisses. A spark threatened to burn through Edd at the contact as he gathered Kevin’s shirt in his hands. Kevin lowered himself back onto the bed without breaking the bonding of lips. Fingers danced through Edd’s hair making him shiver. No one had ever touched his hair in such away.

Edd moaned into the kiss. The sound set a fire into Kevin’s blood. Edd’s hand slipped down, finding the hem of Kevin’s shirt. Curious fingers found firm, warm skin and toned abdominal muscles. Nails dragged lightly over the skin. Kevin thought he was going to go crazy from the touch but he wanted more, so much more. Breaking the kiss for a moment, Kevin stripped off his shirt, tossing it to the side. Edd’s face was flushed and his breathing was heavy. His hair was in disarray and his lips were swollen from the kissing.

“You’re so stunning Edd,” Kevin smiled holding Edd’s face in his hands.

Edd blushed. "D-do not joke like this Kevin.”

“That’s the best part about you Edd. You don’t realize how incredible you are.” Kevin pulled Edd into his lap, playing his hair again. “Did you know that you glow when you smile? Or that your laugh is like music?”

Edd leaned into Kevin’s touch, letting the words wash over him. A warm feeling pooled in his stomach and spread throughout his body. The feeling of Kevin’s bare skin was amazing. He had never felt so connected to another person, not even his parents. It was as natural as breathing. He felt safe in Kevin’s arms.

They stayed entwined for a while, basking in the warmth of it all, until Kevin’s stomach growled. The noise made both boys laugh.

“I guess it’s time for breakfast.” Kevin laughed and helped Edd to his feet.

Edd slid on his slippers and headed downstairs. “There should be some eggs and bacon in the fridge if I remember correctly. Or I can make pancakes if you wish.”

“Why not both all three? I’m starving.”

Soon the kitchen came alive with the smell of bacon frying and pancakes cooking. Kevin sported Edd’s apron as he flipped the bacon over while Edd concentrated on making waffles. Every so often they brushed against each other. The contact made Edd blush and Kevin smile. This was not how either of them had imagined their morning to go.

With the table set and food portioned out, they sat down and dug into the food. Kevin went first for the bacon before descending upon is eggs. A moan escaped him as he took his first bite of Edd’s pancakes.

“Dude, that’s unreal. My mom’s pancakes aren’t even this good.”

Edd smiled shyly as he took a bit of bacon. The meal was over quickly and the dishwasher was loaded with the dirty pots and plates. It was rare for Edd to have enough used cookware to be able to run the dishwasher. He had not cooked for anyone other than himself in a while and it felt good to have someone else enjoy his food.

Warm arms wrapped around Edd’s waist as he dried his hand with a dishtowel. Kevin rested his head on Edd’s shoulder. The contact was sudden but Edd did not pull away from it like he normally would. There was a gentleness to Kevin’s touch that Edd reacted well to. Kevin planted a kiss on Edd’s cheek as thanks for breakfast.

“So what do you want to do today?” Kevin asked.

Edd shrugged. “I have never skipped school before so I do not know what is available during this time.”

“We could see a movie or go shopping or something like that. Nazz usually drags me around on days like this. I’m not really a planning kind of guy.”

They both thought for a second on something they could do. Edd was coming up with nothing but he could see the wheels in Kevin’s head turning slowly.

An idea must have formed because Kevin smiled brightly. “I know just the place.” 

* * *

 

Edd was showered and dressed within the hour after Kevin made the plans. Kevin had just gotten out of the shower and was getting dressed. It felt strange to not wear his hat but Kevin begged him to not wear it for a little while. He kept going on and on about how cool it was. Edd finally caved and pulled his hair back into a low pony tail. Edd had made a quick call to the school to explain his absence. The secretary had wished him a quick recover which made Edd feel guilty for lying. But Kevin’s reassuring smile dissipated his worries.

“Let’s go,” Kevin said as he descended the stairs.

“Where are we going Kevin?”

A sly smile spread across Kevin’s face. “It’s a surprise.”

Edd pouted but followed Kevin out the front door and across the street to his house. Mrs. Barr’s car was already gone so Kevin did not have to sneak into the house. Kevin excused himself before vanishing into the house. Edd felt very exposed standing in Kevin’s driveway. There was no one around. Everyone was either at work or at school at this hour. The garage door opened and Edd’s heart sank.

“No,” Edd squeaked.

Kevin stood next to his motorcycle with a spar helmet in his hand. The red motorcycle was a beautiful machine but Edd knew all the statistics about motorcycle accidents such as how 11 percent of all road accidents involved a motorcycle or how things like poor roads could cause accidents. It was all too unpredictable.

“Oh come one Edd, it’s not as bad as your brain is telling you it is. I’ve been riding for a while and I’ve never gotten into an accident. Plus, mom made me take a safety class before I even bought the bike. I can show you the certificate if you want.”

Edd frowned and looked between the bike and the smiling Kevin. All the calculations in his head screamed for him not to go but his gut was telling him it would be okay. He rarely trusted his gut but Kevin looked to happy that Edd did not want to made him mad or sad from rejection.

A sigh escaped Edd and he held his hand out for the helmet.


	13. The Ride

Even though Edd was nervous about riding a motorcycle, he finally understood why Kevin was so attracted to the two-wheeled death machine. The vibration of the engine between his legs was calming yet arousing. When Kevin started the bike under them, Edd jumped as the motorcycle came to life. The contact of his crouch to the vibrating leather seat made him glad he was wearing helmet to hide his furious blush. Edd had to turn his thoughts to string theory to ease the sudden tightness in his jeans. The smell of Kevin mixed with the vibration was causing Edd to overheat from too much stimulation. Edd cursed luck that he had to be this close to Kevin in his current state of stimulation, arms wrapped around the ginger’s waist as to not fall off the back of the bike.

The embarrassing arousal was not the only thing that Edd found interesting. It was also the way that everything looked as it streaked past like a smeared oil painting. Lights seemed to leave trails. People were a blur and passing cars splotches of color. It was as if everything was crisp yet blurred at the same time depending on what the eye focused on. From the back of the motorcycle Edd experienced his surroundings anew. He knew the streets and the shops but it was like a filter was put on life, pointing out new things that he had never noticed. It was truly breathtaking.

Leaning with Kevin around a corner, Edd say that they were heading for the interstate. They were going somewhere outside of Peach Creek. Edd scarcely ever left the area other than during the summer for camps. The lack of transportation left not many options other than those he grew up with. It was a big deal when a new shop or restaurant opened. The introduction of the public transportation he started using this year gave him a little more distance from his house with new opportunities. This would be his first venture outside of Peach Creek where he had no clue where he was going. As a plan oriented person, it annoyed Edd to no end that Kevin was withholding the schedule for the day.

As they went down the exit ramp, Edd felt the bike shake slightly harder as it worked up to higher speeds. The wind resistance increased and Edd had to cling tightly to Kevin to keep from tumbling off. The scenery and cars blurred together as Kevin weaved in and out of traffic. Edd was surprised at the level of control Kevin was able to accomplish at such high speeds. A lightly queasy feeling settled in Edd’s stomach from watching the cars pass. Pressing his helmet against Kevin’s back, Edd tried to calm his upset stomach.

Kevin was enjoying the ride. He always liked to have company on his motorcycle, to share the experience of it all.  The press of Edd’s body against his own made it hard to concentrate of the road but Kevin thought about the football plays that coach made him learn last week. Anything to keep his mind off of the feeling of Edd’s crotch against his butt would do. He almost didn’t make it out of the garage when he felt Edd’s erection after he started the motorcycle. It took all of his will power to not drag Edd back into his house and occupy the rest of the day with exploring the pale boy’s body. It was too early for that. The kiss in bed was enough for the day. Kevin didn’t want to scare Edd away with too much too quickly.

Kevin saw their exit coming up and smoothly transitioned to the right most lanes. Their destination was not too far away from the exit. Kevin tried to get off the motorcycle but Edd was still clinging to him like a koala, his helmet still resting on his back. Chucking, Kevin pried Edd’s arms off him gently. The pale hands shook in Kevin’s and that worried him.

“You okay ‘D?” Kevin asked, pulling off his helmet and dismounting.

Edd took off his helmet to reveal a pale face. “Can we avoid the interstate on the way back? It was a little too much for a first time rider. How long does it take for one to get acclimated to such high speeds and dangerous situations?”  

“It didn’t take me long at all. It’s all mind over matter really.” Kevin smiled and kissed Edd’s forehead causing Edd to blush profusely. “I’ll take the long way when we head back.”

Edd could only nod. Looking around, Edd noticed that they were in a parking lot that was next to a large wooded area. There were stone steps that lead to something but the path vanished around a bend. The parking lot was about half full and held one school bus. Edd could not find a single clue as to where they were.

Kevin watched Edd survey the surrounding as he put up their helmets. _He looks so cute when he is trying to solve a problem._

Kevin grabbed Edd’s hand and led him to the steps. “Come on, enough sightseeing.”

The two boys walked hand in hand up the steps. There was a light breeze that cooled their blushing cheeks. Kevin prayed to any god that was listening to not let his palms get sweaty holding Edd’s hand. He was nervous enough as it was. He wanted everything to go smoothly and for them to have fun. That’s why he chose this place because it would interest both of them.

The Newman Museum of Arts and Science was a building to behold. There was a central point that looked like a normal museum entrance with Ionic pillars and a large front door. From the main center, the building branches off into an east and west wing. Both looked nothing like the other. The science portion was constructed completely of glass and steel. Sunlight danced across the glass, glinting off the metal. It was modern and stunning. People were visible as they milled around the exhibits, interacting with them. The other half of the building was covered in murals and graffiti, bright colors standing out like neon lights among the trees and other buildings. It was the most unique building Edd had ever seen in his life. The juxtaposition of the two ascetics was a living representation of the museum’s name.

Edd turned to Kevin with a huge smile on his face. “I read about this place in Science Monthly. It just recently opened. I’ve wanted to come here but Eddy or Ed had the time to come with me. The lack of transportation left it just out of reach.”

The dimples on Edd’s cheeks stood out from the smile. He had not smiled this big in a while, so long that Kevin forgot that he even had dimples. That realization made Kevin realize how down Edd had been since they entered high school. He had been so busy with his own life that he did not notice Edd had wilted. The happy, laughing boy he had grown up with was only a memory now. But seeing that smile on Edd’s face gave Kevin hope that he could be nurtured back to his stunning self all the time, not just in private with his friends.

Since it was early in the day, there were not a lot of people in the museum. The guy in the ticket booth did not even look twice at two high school students out on a school day. They stood where the building split in two. The science portion was to the left, calling to Edd with interesting and rare specimens. Kevin looked to the right at the renaissance art that could be seen from where they were standing.

“Shall we leave our first destination to chance by flipping a coin? Heads, forward to science. Tails, we gaze at centuries of beauty.” Edd noticed that Kevin was looking at the art gallery the same way he was looking at the science portion.

Kevin nodded, thinking it was for the best. Edd was not aware of this but Kevin was an artist. When he was younger, his mother would take him on trips to museums and galleries on the weekends. It was not until the Da Vinci exhibit that Kevin fell in love with art. His mother was looking around but Kevin just stood in front of one painting. The _La Scapigliata_ was at the center of the gallery, lit by a soft spotlight on a standalone wall. The moment Kevin saw it he could not look away. Yes, there were other great works in the exhibit but there was something to intimate about the tilt of the woman’s head or the way her hair curled around her face. There was drowsy feeling about the woman like she just woke up from an afternoon nap. Had Da Vinci been watching his lover sleep and caught her just as she awoke? It was that moment that Kevin saw the world differently.

On his next birthday, his mother bought him a sketch pad and charcoal pencils. He was so excited that he drew every moment he was alone. Random objects in his room were his first subjects so he could get down the basics. After checking out a few drawing books from the library, Kevin evolved to drawing people. Nazz was his first in person drawing. She was reading a magazine, not paying attention to him at all. It was not until he was finished that she realized what he was doing. She started to complain until she caught a glimpse of what was on the paper. It’s still framed in her room next to her bed.

Kevin was not ashamed of his talent until one night when a friend from his baseball team stayed over. Kevin was working on a picture of the Kanker sisters, pulling from memory. Jason had been playing video games but he noticed Kevin drawing.

“Are you drawing dude?” He asked. “That’s so gay.”

Being at a delicate age, Kevin decided to never draw around anyone other than Nazz. Middle school was rough and kids were quick to bullying their classmates. Kevin was a football and baseball player but it was easy for him to be pushed out of the group.  That could change his social life forever. Guys his age strove to become popular and their popularity hung on a thread up until high school. So, Kevin decided to hide his artwork. He rarely drew now, only when he had to get a thought out of his head or if he was overwhelmed. The bottom self of his bookshelf housed all his sketch books.

The coin flipped through the air and caught, slapped on the back of Edd’s hand. Peaking underneath his hand, Edd smiled. Kevin tried not to look defeated until Edd showed him that the coin was on tails. An excitement that Kevin had not felt since he was a child filled him. He grabbed Edd’s hand and pulled him towards the art gallery.

Edd giggled at the joy that sparkled in Kevin’s eye. When Edd was helping Nazz study a few years ago, he had seen a framed drawing on her nightstand. In the corner almost covered by the frame was scratched KB. It was not hard for Edd to connect the dots about the artist. He kept the information to himself. If Kevin wanted the cul-de-sac to know about his hobby, it was not Edd’s place to go around telling their friends.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! The next chapter will focus on the museum trip. Favorite and review please!


	14. Museum Trip

Edd walked with his arms out, not wanting to run into anything. While he had been looking at some expressionist art, Kevin had walked up behind him and covered Edd’s eyes. The ginger babbled on about a bust that Edd needed to see. Joy seemed to seep from Kevin that made Edd’s heart flutter and smile. The jock’s large hands left good. Warmth and the smell of Kevin surrounded him.

“Kevin, I can walk on my own.” Edd said, slightly embarrasses at being led around in public. He could hear other people around them. The ruckus Kevin was causing was impolite to the other patrons.

The ginger chuckled. “Just trust me this will make the experience better. Cool, here we are. Keep your eyes closed. I got one more thing to do.”

Their march stopped abruptly and Kevin pulled Edd against him. Edd tried not to gasp at the contact. He wanted to open his eyes but Kevin asked him not to so he waited patiently. There was a little shift from Kevin and a headphone was placed in Edd’s left ear. If Edd had not been so distracted by the boy behind him, he would have rejected the use of another person’s earbud since they usually contained all sorts of gross substances. There was a soft clicking as Kevin scrolled through his albums until he found the right one. Soft violin filled him, slow and smooth with long drawn notes from a cello. 

“Okay, now open your eyes.” Kevin whispered.

It took a moment for Edd’s eyes to adjust to the dim lighting. There was a soft spot light that haloed around a white marble bust. It was set apart from the others, put at the forefront. Edd’s breath stuck in his throat as he looked at it. The woman looked off to the side, head down and eyes closed. A veil was laid across her head, rippling around her in magnificent folds. The braids of her hair were visible under the veil, perfectly placed. Her soft face emitted serenity from the curve of her nose to the top of her head. The longer Edd looked and the music filled his ears filled him with awe. For a moment, the memory of the morning came to the front of Edd’s mind. Kevin bathed in sunlight, sleep still in his eyes. If Edd could capture that moment in stone he would. And for a few minutes Edd could not form words.

Kevin waited patiently for him to speak. His mother had done the same for him and it was one of the coolest experiences of his childhood. This was something special, a look at a masterpiece with a pure mind. Seeing something from a distance pollutes the up close experience or so Kevin’s mom said.

Finally, Edd turned to Kevin. There was still awe on his face and a lazy smile stretched across his face. A pale hand did not go up to cover his gap as Edd usually did. This was the truest form of Edd that Kevin had seen since they were younger. All worries were gone, his shoulders relaxed.

“Thank you for sharing this with me, Kevin. I have never experienced art in such away. Mother and Father did not put a high value on art during my childhood. Music was essential but never art. Father claimed it was too frivolous but that…” Edd looked back at the bust. “That was breath taking.”

Kevin pulled his hat down to hide a blush. “It’s nothing dude. I just thought it would be a cool thing, you know?”

Pushing up the brim on his hat, Edd smiled at Kevin. “Will you show me more?” 

* * *

 

Edd and Kevin walked through the exhibits at a leisurely pace. Kevin pointed out different paintings and sculptures, giving little bits of information about the work or the artist. The ginger had taken an art appreciation class last year, telling all of his friends that it was required. That class was the highlight of his day, looking at new artists and styles. Kevin absorbed the information and passed the class with an A. For a while, Kevin thought about going to art school but his father quickly squashed that dream. ‘Art schools don’t have football teams,’ he had said. It took him a while to recover from that conversation.

Edd was astonished with how much knowledge Kevin had about everything that they passed. Since art was not a subject he knew much about, other than simple things, Edd was enjoying the new information. It excited him just as much as school did. Learning was a gift, something new to brighten the day.

“I think that is the end of the exhibit. Wanna head to the science side of the museum?”

“I would enjoy that very much!” Edd voice became shrill with exhilaration. He had enjoyed the art exhibit but what lay on the other side of the museum was floating in the back of his mind. There was something so comforting about science.

Unlike the art portion of the museum, the science section was divided into different sections. There was The Human Body, The Butterfly House, The Light House, and The Fossil Room. Other exhibits were available but those four stood out the most to Edd. Not wanting to bore Kevin too early, Edd decided the Fossil Room would be the most interesting to the ginger. Walking through the arch way, dinosaur bones and fossil imprints in stone dominated the room. The skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus was centered in the large room, its head turned as if it heard a nose. Skeletons of fish like animals hung from the ceiling by thick wires making them float above the milling crowds. Interactive screens sat at the base of all the exhibits, explains what was shown and interesting facts. There was a sand pit in the back corner where children used excavation tools to uncover hidden fossils or bones in the sand.

“Cool,” Kevin whispered as he walked towards the Tyrannosaurus. Edd followed him, smiling as the ginger flipped through the facts on the screen. A little kid stood on his tip toes to read along with Kevin. They both were fascinated by the large skeleton in front of them.

 _Kevin must be amazing with children,_ Edd thought as he watched him talk excitedly to the young boy.

They did not stay long in the Fossil Room. Next was the Butterfly House. The first part of the exhibit was information about butterflies, the different types of butterflies, where they lived, and the transformation from caterpillar to butterfly.  A glass tank in the center of the room housed the cocoons of the future butterflies hanging from branches and other fake plants.

“Mommy look,” a child squealed. “This one is hatching!!”

Kids flocked to one side of the tank, causing a ruckus. Edd was about to say something to Kevin when he noticed his companion was gone from his side. Looking around, Edd finally saw Kevin. In the center of the mass of children, Kevin stooped down to watch the butterfly free itself from the cocoon. The child like wonder on his face was almost too much for Edd to handle. It was as if his body was overloaded with all the adorable things Kevin was doing. 

A bored looking man walked close to the group. “The next tour of the Butterfly house will start shortly. Please form an orderly line near the glass door and wait for your tour guide.”

“Can we go on the tour Double D?” Kevin asked, appearing at Edd’s side again.

“Of course Kevin,” Edd smiled.

Without thinking, Kevin laced his hands through Edd’s as he started walking towards the glass door mentioned. The touch sent a shiver through Edd. Through the door was an open area with trees and many brightly colored flowers and hanging feeders. It was on an outer wall so sunlight streamed through the large windows. Butterflies of varying size and color flitted around lazily from place to place. A young blonde woman walked towards the door, a smile on her face.

“Welcome to the Butterfly House. I’m Amy.” She opened the door and everyone filed in. “Be careful where you step. One of the beauties may be resting on the path.”

Kevin looked down, searching the ground of butterflies, of which there were none. The room was warm from the sunlight that filtered in and the flowers gave off a light fragrance that tickled Edd’s nose slightly. Child ran around, chasing butterflies. A monarch floated in front of Edd as if it had not a care in world. Edd turned to point it out but Kevin once again vanished. Sighing, Edd started his search. The place was not large but there was a lot filling the space, both people and plants.

“Hey Edd, they had these sugar water sponges to attract the butterflies!!”

Turning around, Edd almost fell to the ground from laughter. Kevin sat in a grassy area with two sponges resting in his open palms. Butterflies flocked to him, swirling around in brilliant colors. The whole thing seemed obscured or pulled strait from a Disney movie, Kevin being the singing heroin that attracted all woodland creatures.

“They tickle,” Kevin giggled as the butterflies crawled on him. “You have to try this Double D.”

Cautiously, Edd joined Kevin in the grass. A sponge was passed to him as well as a cloud of butterflies. Kevin was right. The little legs tickled Edd’s exposed skin. Wings fluttered delicately as butterflies landed or took flight. The little giggles that escaped Edd made Kevin smile. The way that Edd looked in the sunlight, surrounded by butterflies, made Kevin’s heart race in his chest. The glow that Edd exuded at school the other day had returned. Kevin could have melted from the way Edd smiled at him, unashamed of his gap. His hair reflected the light like a dark halo, the silver streak falling across his cheek. Kevin was glad that he convinced Edd to leave his beanie at home. The thick wavy hair suited him better than that old hat that he clung to. While Edd was not paying attention to him, Kevin pulled out his phone and took a picture of Edd. He was looking at a butterfly that had landed on the tip of his index finger. Kevin stashed away his phone as to not alert the sitting boy.

“All right folks, it is time to head to the exit so the next group can come in.” Amy ushered the large group towards the door, putting the sponges in a bucket to be reused later.

Kevin and Edd visited a few of the other exhibits but Edd could not concentrate on anything with Kevin standing so close. His smell made him brain become jumbled and the light touches made him weak in the knees. How could one person disarm him so easily, so quickly? Edd tried to reign in his hormones as Kevin put his hand on Edd’s lower back. He was pointing at something but the touch made it seem as if Edd’s ears were full of cotton.

 _Is this what it is like to have a crush on someone?_ Edd pondered as they left the Light House, a room about light waves and such.

“You getting hungry?”

Kevin hooked his arm through Edd’s, leading him toward a small cafeteria that was nestled between the two wings. Kevin stood in line while Edd found seats. Edd got a salad while Kevin got a burger and fries. The meal was silent, only breaking the quiet to talk about some of the exhibits.

“I think I’ve seen everything here I wanted to see.” Kevin sat back in his car, taking a drink. “What about you?”

Edd nodded. “I am getting a little tired from all the walking. Shall we head back to Peach Creek?”

The drive back was not as stressful as the ride to the museum. Kevin did not drive as he usually did, taking extra care and not driving on the highway. The back roads were clear for the most part. Edd was able to survey his surroundings. It was mostly fields and trees but Edd found the ride to be lovely. He focused on the scenery to try to distract him from the feelings that the motorcycle brought up in him that he struggled with on the earlier ride. Kevin just enjoyed the feeling of Edd’s arms around him, not letting his mind wonder like before.

It was around 3 when Kevin and Edd pulled into Edd’s driveway. Kevin took Edd’s helmet and stored it away.

“I had fun today.” Kevin said, putting his hands in his pockets.

Edd smiled. “I enjoyed myself very much. Thank you for the outing. I really needed it, even though I sacrificed a day of school.”

“You will survive, dork.” Kevin chuckled.

Swatting his arm, Edd laughed as well. They stood in silence, both trying to find words to fill the space. Kevin wanted to hang with the smaller boy but he did feel a little bad for dragging him out on a school day. Edd wanted spend more time with Kevin as well but he did not wish to take up all of Kevin’s time. He had stayed the night and took him out for the day. There were other things he could be doing, like hanging out with his friends.  

“Did you want to come to my house for a little while?” Kevin offered. “I just got a new shooter that has a pretty cool co-op mode that I’ve wanted to play.”

“I woul-”

“Yo Sockhead, where have you been all day?”

The kids of the cul-de-sac were starting to return home from school. For once, Ed and Eddy were walking together down the sidewalk. Ed had twisted his ankle in gym so he could not go to practice. Eddy did not have work that afternoon.

Ed ran up to Edd, pulling him into a bone crushing hug than sat him down. “I missed you Double D. Hey, where is your hat?”

Dread filled Edd as he remembered that Kevin persuaded him into leave behind his beloved hat. Edd pulled his shirt over his head so that his hair was covered.

“I was feeling under the weather so I stayed at home. I am feeling better after a good day of rest and rehydration.” Edd tried to smile at his friends.

Eddy frowned and squinted at his friend. The bruises had lightened and Edd had tried to hide the damage with cover up but the makeup was fading. Eddy had seen Edd cover up bruises so it was easy to see the closer he got. The small Ed turned on Kevin, his lips drawn back to bear his teeth.

“What the fuck did you do to Edd, Shovelchin?” Eddy hissed.

Kevin was confused for a second but remembered the bruises Daniel left. He had watched Edd cover up the splotches earlier under make up. It scared him how skilled Edd was it. Once again, Kevin wondered how often Edd was someone’s punching bag. Raising his hands, Kevin took a step back from Eddy.

Edd stepped between the two boys. “E-Eddy, please leave Kevin alone. He did not hurt me. It was Daniel. He attacked me after school and Kevin came to my aid, staying with me so to deter another attack. I did not wish to go to school today so he stayed with me all day.”

Eddy looked at his friend. Edd shook slightly, his skin pale. He had tried not to think of Daniel all day and Kevin had helped him with that. But the events came flooding back. The bite just under his shirt flared painfully. All the energy left his body at once. Eddy was shocked at the sudden change and looped Edd’s arm over his shoulder to help him stand.

“Let’s get you inside. Lunkhead come help me with him.” Eddy tried not to look too worried so not to freak out the larger Ed.

Edd offered a small smile to Kevin as his friends dragged him away. There was no stopping his friends when they were like this. Eddy was very protective of the smartest of the three. There were many beating that Eddy took so that Edd could flee. But he could not protect Edd every minute of every day. It bothered Eddy that Edd had not told him about Daniel earlier.

“Come Sockhead, let’s get you into bed.” Eddy’s voice was quiet, full of care and concern. Edd leaned heavy on his friends, feeling safe between the two. Ed babbled about some monster movie that he got at the mall they could watch tonight.

Kevin watched the Ed’s vanish into Edd’s house. A heavy sigh left him. It was clear that the events from the previous day were crushing the mind of the frail boy. Kevin hoped that Edd would be able to confide in his friends. That is what friends are for. The other two Eds’ should not care if Edd is gay but Kevin secretly hoped that Edd would keep their kiss to himself. The last thing he needed was Eddy knowing of Kevin’s interest in Edd or guys at all. That could come back to bite him in the ass later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bust: The Veiled Virgin by Italian sculptor Giovanni Strazza  
> Music: Adagio for Strings by London philharmonic orchestra


	15. Making it Real

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello beautiful people! Sorry it took so long to update. I hit a little writer’s block and this chapter was a little difficult for me. I wanted to be as real as I could with what was going on with Edd. It’s not perfect but I hope you guys enjoy.  
> Love Eden

The wet washcloth wiped away the rest of the cover up, staining the white cloth. Eddy stood in the doorway of the downstairs bathroom, waiting for Edd to turn around. A tremor ran through Edd’s hand and he put the washcloth down. He didn’t want to turn around to face his short friend. If he showed his face than the events of the previous days would be real, concrete in his mind. Edd was good at compartmentalizing horrible situations but this was too much for him. Kevin had done well in distracting him with the kiss, breakfast, and the museum. The removal of the cover up seemed like a physical manifestation of what was about to happen, Edd baring himself to his friend.

With a deep breath, Edd turned around. A sharp intake of breath passed through Eddy’s nose, a harsh, high pitch sound that made Edd flinch a little. All Edd wanted to do was crawl into bed and forget his woes but he knew Eddy would not forget this. Taking a step forward, Eddy reached a hand towards Edd, grazing the bruise lightly with his fingertips. The small about of pressure made the area ache slightly but Edd didn’t pull away. Eddy, who was usually brash and heavy-handed, was extremely gentle as he examined the injury.

“What happened?” Eddy asked softly.

A lump formed in Edd’s throat, trapping the words of the previous day. He opened his mouth but the words remained stuck, like his body would not let him recount the traumatic event. If he did not talk about it, the assault could be swept into the back of his mind. It took him many tries to get his mouth to work properly.

“D-Daniel witnessed something yesterday during school, something personal enough to blackmail me into leaving the school ground with him and into my home.” Edd could not look at Eddy as he talked. “After locking the door, he proceeded to assault me. If Kevin had not shown up when he did, Daniel would have…”

Tears threatened to fall as Edd’s throat closed up again. Oh God, if Kevin had not shown up Daniel would have forced himself into the bathroom where Edd could not escape. Nat would not have made it in time and Daniel would have had his way. Edd did not realize how close he had gotten to being raped. The realization made his chest constrict and his vision blur as tears spilled over and down his cheeks.

“Would have what?” Eddy probed.

The word ‘rape’ echoed in Edd’s head but he couldn’t bring himself to say it. Instead, he pulled the collar of his shirt to the side, exposing the harsh bite mark on his shoulder. Like the bruise, the bite stood out again Edd’s pale skin. Eddy and Edd were use to physical assault but sexual assault was something they only heard about and it was never from one guy to another. Sexual assault was never something they had to fear. All they had to worry about was hoping that they did not end up with broken bones.

Eddy growled deep in his throat. “I’m going to fucking kill that piece of shit.”

“Language,” Edd pulled away from Eddy scowling. “And you will do no such thing. Violence only furthers violence.”

“We need to go to the cops than. The bruises and that wicked bite will be evidence enough. Kevin will back you on it if he ran Daniel off.”

Edd shook his head quickly. “If I go to the cops, there will be a trial and I do not wish to relive the assault over and over again in front of strangers. I just want it to be over, put it in the past.”

“So you are just doing to let Daniel get away with this? He fucking attacked you in your own house. Guys like Daniel will only try again if you do nothing. He could try again knowing that you won’t call him out on it.” Eddy’s face was red with rage, both at Daniel and Edd but mostly at Daniel.

Edd buried his face in his hands, suddenly tired. “Why should anyone believe me anyways? Daniel is a star athlete with a bright future ahead of him. Daniel could come up with a perfectly good explanation to cover it all up and I would be left to deal with the fallout of the accusation. It is known throughout the school that Kevin and Daniel are rivals so Kevin’s testimony could be seen as him trying to tarnish Daniel’s reputation. I just cannot come forward when I do not know the outcome of it all.”

Edd knew that Daniel could try again but that was something he was willing to risk. He could better avoid his attackers and never let himself be placed in that situation again. He could regain control with careful planning and help from his friends. It was much better than a long, drawn out trial that could end up hurting him more than it could help him. It was too much to be left up to chance.

“Okay, I’ll let this go for now on one condition. You are never to be left alone at school and someone takes you home after school gets out. If you don’t have someone to walk you home, wait for Ed or Kevin to get done with practice and they will take you home. I don’t want to give that piece of shit another opportunity. Deal?”

Eddy held out his hand and Edd shook it. 

* * *

 

Kevin lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling. The fan spun lazily, casting long shadows in the evening light. He had not heard from Edd after Eddy hauled him into his house. The radio silence from Edd made Kevin a little nervous. At one point, Kevin almost walked across the street to check on him but he didn’t want to intrude.

The screen of Kevin’s phone lights up and buzzed next to him. Kevin snatched it up and saw he had a new message from Nazz. He deflated, hoping it would be from Edd.

**Nazz: U okay dude?**

_Kevin: I’m fine, just a little tired._

**Nazz: Wat was up with u and Double Dee? I saw u guys on the walk back from school.**

Kevin chewed on his lip.

_Kevin: Something happened but I’ll only tell if u promise not to tell anyone._

**Nazz: I am a fucking vault! Wat happened?**

_Kevin: I was hanging with D cuz Daniel attacked him last night. I saw Daniel go into D’s house and I heard a scream so I went over there and ran Daniel off. Nazz, Daniel almost raped D._

There was about a minute without a reply from Nazz.

**Nazz: Hold on, I’ll be right over.**

Five minutes later, Nazz let herself in and found Kevin lying on his bed. She flopped down next to him and cuddled close to him. Kevin wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. A heavy grief settled on his chest as he clung to her. They didn’t talk for a while. Kevin knew if he opened his mouth his words would be jumbled and would make no sense. He had to gather his thoughts.

Kevin sighed heavily, a sign he was ready to talk.

“So tell me what happened.” Nazz said softly.

Kevin covered his face with one hand. “Daniel found out Edd was gay and used that to force himself into Edd’s house. He tried to force himself on Edd but Edd was able to lock himself in the bathroom. I was able to chase Daniel off without much effort. When Edd opened the door, I almost lost it. Daniel had left a good bruise on his face but the bite on his neck looked so painful. Edd clung to me like a little kid. He looked like he would fall apart at any moment. God Nazz, it was agonizing to see him like that.”

Nazz sat up and pulled Kevin’s hand from his face. “But he is okay now, right? You were able to get to him in time. You were there when Edd needed you the most. Focus on that fact.”

Kevin knew she was right. The only way to help Edd through this ordeal was to remind himself and Edd that he was able to get there in time. Things did not go too far and Edd was safe. Kevin held onto thought.

Nazz lay back down with her head on his chest. “So you spent the day with Edd? That’s why you asked me to cover for you?”

 “I stayed with him ever since the attack. I couldn’t leave him alone. Daniel could have come back after I left.”

The corners of Nazz’s mouth quirked up. “You spent the night with him?”

Kevin blushed, remembering waking up cuddling Edd. The smell of his hair a memory burned into his mind.

“You did spend the night with him!” Nazz squealed. “Anything juice happen? Come on Kevin, spill it!”

“Alright, calm down. Yes I stayed the night and we slept in the same bed if you must know. I wanted to be close enough to him so that he knew he wasn’t alone. It sounds strange know but it helped. He was able to sleep through the night. You know how I cuddle in my sleep right? Well I woke up tangled with him, Nazz. That’s when you call and woke up Edd. After we hung up he gave me this funny look. He said something along the lines of ‘how could someone look so handsome in the morning light’ then he called me breathtaking or something like that.”

Nazz squealed and made a motion for Kevin to continue.

“Yeah, I know right? Never in a million years would I have imaged Edd saying something like that.  Dude, I could have melted. My body reacted before my brain could process it all. I kissed him. I just leaned over and planted a kiss right on him. The coolest part was that he didn’t push me away. I didn’t push him too far because I didn’t want to freak him out. The Daniel thing was still fresh and I didn’t want to do anything either of us would regret.”

Nazz beamed. “Go Kevin! That’s awesome. So did you guys just cuddle and make out all day?”

Kevin shook his head. “I wanted to get him out of the house for a little while so I took him to that museum that was in the papers, the science and art one. We had just gotten back when you guys go back to the cul-de-sac. Oh I took a picture of Edd and I’m thinking about drawing it as a gift for him or something.”

Kevin pulled up the picture on his phone and he smiled as the screen before handing it to Nazz. At first there was a look of confusion on Nazz’s face but a smile slowly replaced it.

“So that is what’s under Edd’s hat.”

Kevin tensed and a groan escaped his lips as he lay back heavily on his bed. “I fucked up. I promised that I wouldn’t tell anyone about his hair.”

The picture broke that promise. Kevin couldn’t keep his promise for 24 hours. Edd was going to be so upset when he found out, even if he only told Nazz. The way Edd flailed around for his hat as it fell into the tub showed how much he worried about others knowing his secret.

“Don’t worry dude, if he asks I’ll tell him that I saw it before Eddy dragged him off. But I think you should totally give the drawing to him as a present. The picture is cool but you will make it rad.” Nazz handed back Kevin’s phone.

“You think he will like it?” Kevin blushed.

“He’ll love it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked the chapter. I love comments so bring them on, good or bad.


	16. The Sleepover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greeting and salutations! Thanks for all the lovely reviews. Sorry the last chapter was so short. I’ve been working a lot and school had been dominating most of my free time. But my work load has lightened so I will hopefully be able to post more often.   
> Love Eden

Nat felt like he was going insane. He had gotten a text from Edd earlier in the day saying that he was okay and that Kevin would be staying with him. A jealously tore through him as he remembered how gentle Kevin was with Edd and how he fought back when Nat tried to separate them upon finding them after the attack. It was silly really, Nat being so attached to the younger boy but the heart wants what the heart wants.

Since he didn’t have work tonight, Nat decided to check on Edd after his afternoon class let out. He rehearsed what he would say when Edd answered the door. _How are you feeling? Did you sleep well? Do you need me to stay with you tonight?_ All of them sounded too clingy to him. The last thing he wanted to do was scare Edd off. No, he had to act casual yet friendly, letting Edd know that he could depend on the older boy. It spoke volumes that Edd called him for help in the first place. He did not want to lose whatever trust Edd had in him.

The driveway was empty again as Nat pulled up. He knocked a few times and waited with his hands in his pockets. It was silent a first then Nat could hear two voices behind the door. Fear clogged his throat thinking that Edd was in danger. The door swung open to reveal a shorter boy with dark purple hair, so dark it was almost black. Nat was a head taller than him so he had to look down at him.

A scowl rested on his brow as he looked Nat up and down. “Who the fuck are you?”

Nat raised an eyebrow. “I’m Nat, one of Edd’s college classmates. Is Edd home?”

“Who is at the door, Eddy?” A voice called from deeper in the house.

“It’s some dude named Nat.” Eddy yelled back.

There was a crash and muttering before Edd made his way into the living room. He was dusting off his pants when he saw Nat standing outside, his hands in his pockets. A shiver ran through Edd as his mind suddenly decided to remind him of the kiss they shared not two days ago. He cursed him hormone driven brain and tried not to let a blush take over his cheeks.

“Greeting Nat, how are you doing?” Edd smiled.

Eddy looked between Nat and Edd and back to Nat. The flustered look in Edd’s face confused Eddy but only for a moment. Eddy may not be the smartest of the Eds but he understood human emotions way better than Edd. A smile spread across Eddy’s face. Edd had a crush on Nat. The plan for the rest of the day was for Eddy to stay with Edd but he had a feeling that Edd would want some alone time with Nat. He wasn’t going to stand in the way of his friend’s love life when Edd never intruded in his.

“Hey Nat, can you stay with Edd for me? I have some stuff I have to take care of and Edd gets rather lonely in this huge place.”

Edd made a strangled noise and looked wide eyed at his friend.

Nat laughed and smiled. “Yeah, I can do that.”

With a wink, Eddy collected his things and left. Nat walked inside and shut the door behind him, looking around at the living room. For a moment, Edd did not know what to do. His brain ceased to function properly.

“Nice place,” Nat said as he sat on the couch. “I didn’t get to look around much last time I was here. I was focused on something else.”

The look Nat gave Edd sent another shiver down his spine. Edd swallowed hard and took a seat on the couch. The space between them was too large in Nat’s opinion but he thought better of moving too quickly towards the smaller boy. He had all the time in the world.

“So what did you do today Edd?”

Wringing his hands, Edd stared at the floor. “I-I accompanied Kevin, my friend whom you meet last night, to a museum in the next town over.”

“The red-head?” Nat asked, leaning back on the couch.

“Yes, that would be Kevin.”

Once again, ugly jealously surged through Nat but he controlled his emotions well. There was nothing for Nat to be jealous of really. Edd called him a friend, nothing more. There was still a chance that Nat could sweep Edd off his feet.

_No need to jump to conclusion,_ Nat thought.

“How are you doing, after… you know.” Nat chewed the inside of his cheek, watching Edd closely.

Edd tensed at the question, still emotionally exhausted from his fight with Eddy earlier. “I am doing well, thank you for asking. Oh where are my manner, would you like a beverage? I was thinking about making a light snack.”

Sensing that Edd did not wish to discuss the events of yesterday any further, Nat allowed Edd to run off into the kitchen to start making something to eat. He counted to twenty before following Edd into the kitchen. Flitting from fridge to counter to kitchen table, Edd fixed up a few finger sandwiches and a small cheese plate. Keeping his hands busy made it easier to focus Edd’s mind away from dark thoughts.

“Will you be coming to class tomorrow?” Nat asked after taking a bite of cheese.

Edd nodded. “I had already set back my learning by one day and do not wish to get any further behind schedule.”

“Why don’t you stay at my place tonight?”

Almost choking on his sandwich, Edd looked at Nat wide eyed.

Nat smiled softly. “That way I can make sure you are safe and we can ride to school together. Seems like a win-win situation.”

Edd nodded slowly knowing the invitation was logical. He did not want to be alone tonight but he did not wish to call on Kevin to stay with him another night. Edd was still slightly confused at the events of the morning, waking to cuddling with Kevin and the intense kiss they shared. It was enough to bring a blush to his cheeks. He did not know if he could handle another incident like that.

Nat clapped loudly, startling Edd from his thoughts. “It’s settled then. Go pack an overnight bag.” 

* * *

 

Edd stood in Nat’s living room, clutching his bag tightly to his body. The apartment was small with windows dominating one wall. The floor plan was open, the bedroom and kitchen visible from where Edd was standing.

One thought dominated Edd’s mind, sending it into a spiral of discord. He would have to share a bed with Nat. A small couch sat in the living room but it was too small to sleep on. Nat’s bed was large enough to house both of them but there would be little space between them. What he was hoping to avoid with Kevin was unavoidable with Nat. It was already clear that Nat had feeling for him and now he was to go to bed with him. It was almost too much for him to hand. Edd felt like his brain was going to overheat.

Nat put his backpack down on his kitchen table. “You can put your stuff next to the couch and relax for a little while. I have some homework I need to do then we can watch a movie or something.”

Edd nodded and took a seat on the couch. Luckily, he had brought a book with him to occupy his time. The two boys sat in relative silence. Nat chewed on the end of his pen as he completed a study guide for his world history class. Every so often, he looked over at Edd. A few times, their eyes met and Edd looked down quickly, a blush rising to his cheeks. Nat smiled to himself and tried to finish his homework a little faster. In his mind, he imaged them cuddled on the couch watching a scary movie, Edd jumping and slowly pressing himself closer to Nat.

An hour passed when Nat finally finished his homework. He repacked his stuff and sat heavily on the couch causing Edd to lift in the air momentarily from the force. He yelped, almost dropping his book. Fumbling, Edd regained his composure and glared at a laughing Nat.

“Nathan Goldberg, that was not every nice.” Edd scowled. “You could have notified that you were finished studying.”

“Sorry Edd, I just couldn’t help it.” Nat smiled. “You’re just too cute when you are flustered.”

That comment earned a few smacks from Edd and laughter from Nat.

“Okay okay, I surrender. Let’s find a movie to watch. I have a few of the new scary movies that were just released. That okay?”

Edd nodded and let Nat decide what movie to watch. Soon they were both sitting back as the movie began to play. Haunting music gave way to a spooky introduction about a haunted house where a few students ‘filmed’ some ‘live footage’ of a demon attack. These movies seemed silly to Edd but he could not complain. It was better than the cheesy zombie movies that Ed loved to watch.

The couch was not large. Thighs touched and elbows brushed against each other with every move. Edd was very aware of every move he and Nat made in such close proximity to one another. About twenty minutes into the movie, Nat put his arm around the back of the couch, waiting for the right moment to drape it over Edd’s shoulders. There was a jump scare that made Edd leap slightly and Nat’s arm fell around his shoulders smoothly. Edd blushed but didn’t remove it. The warmth that radiated from Nat’s arm felt good. A shaky breath left Nat’s lips, a breath he did not know he was holding. Slowly, Nat pulled Edd close to him. Edd did not realize how close he was to Nat until his head rested on his shoulder. Neither of them were focused on the movie at this point. Edd breathed short, shallow breaths while Nat smiled softly, leaning his head on Edd’s.

Nat’s finger tips traced circles on Edd’s arm, raising goose bumps on his pale skin. Not use to such touches, Edd sighed softly. Before, Edd did not know why couples had physical contact so regularly but know he understood. It was nice feeling, knowing that someone wanted to touch him. The fingers trailed up to Edd’s neck gradually, leaving more goose bumps in its wake.

_He’s so soft_ , Nat thought smiling.

Nat’s hand found its way to Edd’s cheek. With slight pressure, he turned Edd’s head towards him. Their eyes locked. Edd was enthralled under Nat’s gaze, pinning him in place. Lip collided and Edd lost himself in the kiss. Nat cupped Edd’s face gently as he poured his heart into the kiss. Edd melted into the kiss. They broke apart only when they needed to come up for air. Breathe was shared in the small space as their stared at one another, noses touching. Nat knew he should take it slow with Edd but something urged him forward into action. As if Edd weighed nothing, Nat picked him up and sat him in his lap so that Edd was straddling him. Edd’s face was a bright shade of red as Nat’s hands settled on his hips.

“Just tell me when to stop.” Nat said quietly.

A gasp escaped Edd as Nat’s hands found their way under his shirt. Warm hands caressed his back and sides sending jolts of pleasure through him. Nat smiled at the reaction and captured Edd’s lips with his own. Edd’s arms draped themselves over Nat’s shoulders and his fingers tangled themselves in Nat’s bright hair. Nat moaned into Edd’s lips. Edd did not realize but he was squirming under Nat’s touch, grinding on Nat’s lap. Desire flared up hot and fast in Nat.

A yelp escaped Edd as Nat stood up suddenly, holding him up by his legs. There was a gleam in Nat’s eyes that thrilled and terrified Edd. A few steps and Nat fell forward onto his bed, trapping Edd below him. Edd bounced from the impact but was quickly distracted by Nat’s lips as they kissed softly along his neck and jaw. Everywhere that Nat touch burned sweetly setting Edd’s blood on fire. A new, different heat pooled in Edd’s stomach that makes him rocks his pelvis against Nat’s. A hand found its way under Edd’s shirt, dancing along his hips and the top of his pants.

Suddenly, Nat stopped what he was doing, looming over Edd and breathing heavily. The space made Edd shiver from the abrupt lack of contact. He could see that Nat was struggling with something, his teeth chewing on his bottom lip.

“You deserve better than this.” Nat muttered. “You deserved to be taken on dates, to be romanced not swept up so quickly into passion that you could regret later.”

Edd was at a loss for words. There was innocence to Nat’s words that made Edd’s heart skip a beat and a blush to dust his cheeks. Never in a million years would Edd have imagined someone talking to him in such a way. He always thought he would go through life alone. How odd was it that in a span of two days, Edd’s whole outlook on life could change. Here was someone who wanted to take his time and make sure Edd was ‘romanced’ instead of swept up in hormones and lust. For that, Edd was grateful.

Nat smiled as Edd’s face relaxed into a small smile. He planted a kiss on Edd’s forehead quickly then climbed off his bed. Edd sat up and watched Nat.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Nat said. “It’s getting to be dinner time. I’ll whip up something really quick.”  

Nat made spaghetti and meatballs in record time. Working in an Italian kitchen had its perk. Edd praised him on the quality of his cooking, making Nat blush. Soon plates were empty and the dishes cleaned. Edd stretched and yawned. It was getting late, late to Edd anyways.

“I think it’s time to call it a night.” Nat said as he put away the last plate. “I hope you don’t mind sharing a bed.”

“That will be fine.” Edd muttered as he gathered his sleep clothes and his toiletries from his bag. “Where is your restroom?”

Nat pointed at the only door and Edd quickly retreated into the bathroom. Splashing cold water onto his face, Edd tried to calm his nerves. There was nothing to be worried about. Nat had already told him that he would go slowly so there was no need to be nervous about sharing a bed with him. Edd brushed his teeth and changed into a loose shirt and baggy sweat pants that hung low on his hips. It took him a few moments to decide whether to remove his hat or not. Nat had seen his hair so Edd decided to put away his hat for the night. Edd ran his hands though his hair, getting out the larger knots that had formed.

 When he reemerged from the bathroom, Nat was in the process of changing his shirt. Toned back muscles rippled under tan skin making Edd’s knees weak and his face burn. The sight quickly vanished under a tank top. There was a little shock in Nat’s eyes when he saw that Edd was not wearing his hat but he did not comment on it. Nat vanished into the bathroom to brush his teeth. Soon, they were standing on either side of Nat’s bed, both unsure what to do.

Nat cleared his throat. “What side do you want?”

“W-whichever side you do not choose. It is your bed so I do not wish to hinder your normal sleeping position.”

Nat pulled back the comforter on his side and climbed into bed. Edd quickly followed suit and crawled under the covers. Both of them tossed and turned until comfortable spots were found. Strangely enough, they both ended up on their left side and the small amount of space left them in a spooning position, Edd’s back against Nat’s chest. Neither complained about the arrangement but instead settled closer to each other.

“Good night Edd,” Nat whispered, his breath grazing Edd’s neck.

“Good night Nat.”


	17. Daniel's Side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello lovely readers! Thanks for tuning into another chapter of Finding a Life. Sorry about the delay, I’ve been focused on Pain Relief to try to work through the writer’s block that I keep having with this story. Thanks for all the awesome comments and review. You guys are awesome.   
> Love Eden

Daniel slammed his locker, starting those around him. The air had been tense around the joke since two days ago. Most of the student body avoided him in fear of what he could do if he was set off. Even his teammates were scared of him.

“God damn dork didn’t come to school yesterday,” he muttered as he strode towards his first class. “The little faggot better show up today.”

After intimating a student office worker into give him Edd’s schedule, Daniel now knew where the dork would be ever minute he was in the school. He transcribed the information onto his right palm so that he always had it with him. Study hall would be the first opportunity to come across Edd. A cruel smile curled on his face as many different ideas for the meeting popped in his head. There was a janitor’s closet near the nerd’s locker that could be a good meeting place.

Daniel waited patiently through his morning classes. He took notes and actually listened to the teacher, giddy with the anticipation of seeing his dork again. All of this really started back freshman year. Daniel had transferred in the middle of the first semester after getting kicked out of the private school his parents shipped him off to. The incident involved one of the math bowl students but it was now all wrapped up in a confidentiality agreement that would pay the boy’s way until college. At first Daniel was upset being separated from his little nerd but something wonderful happened. When he was introduced to his first period class, he was sat next to a certain dork that smiled and introduced himself as Edd. The innocent look he had made Daniel want to break him, just like he did with the last boy. There was something about those fragile natures that made Daniel’s blood heat up and urge him towards violence. But he was wiser this time around. The dork had friends, the other Eds, were constantly surrounding him like body guards. He had been too careless the first time but he would learn from his mistakes. A little threat here and a little beating there but he never did it alone. It did not take much to convince his teammates that Edd would be a good target for their aggression.

It was not until Edd was finally alone that Daniel decided to strike. His friends were preoccupied with other things and he was vulnerable. But all the patience and planning paid off in the end. He was so close to getting what he wanted. The tasted of the dork’s skin still ghosted on his tongue from time to time, sending a shiver of pleasure down his spin. He wanted- no _needed_ to by alone with Edd again.

The bell rang and Daniel quickly packed up his things, not wanting to miss his chance. He casually strolled down the hall when his entire body just wanted to run towards the other end of the school. No, he didn’t need to draw unwanted attention to himself. The memories of the other night made him smile and he walked a little bit faster.

“… and the professor went into detail about Schrödinger’s cat. I never could have fathomed the concept of being alive and dead at the same time. It was surprised that Nat could wrap his mind around it so easily. This type of science is known to me. I am accustom to being about the prove problems with math and logic.”

Daniel frowned at the sound of Edd’s cheerful voice. Who was he talking to? Who was this Nat? Could Nat have been the blue haired freak that he saw Edd kiss the other day? Daniel peaked around the corner and say Edd at his locker, talking to someone who’s back was to Daniel. The red hair was a dead give away to his dork’s companion. It was none other than Kevin Barr. Here he was once again interfering with his plans for the dork. Rage filled him but he knew better than to face the jock alone. That would be stupid.

Kevin laughed “Yeah I have no idea who this Dinger guy-”

“Schrödinger,” Edd corrected.

 “Whatever his name is, I have no idea what you are talking about.”

The pair started walking down the hall so close that their shoulders bumped occasionally. Edd had launched into a description of whatever they were talking about at his locker. Daniel knew that Kevin was not that smart but the look on the ginger’s face confused him. That look was the one guys gave girls they liked when she was talking about something he had no clue about but just liked the sound of her voice. It was classic high school stuff that Daniel saw every day in these very halls.

A cruel smile spread across Daniel’s face. “Well isn’t that interesting.”

 

* * *

 

Edd was having the most wonderful morning. Nat had woken up before him and made a large breakfast feast for the two of them as well as making Edd lunch. When Edd rolled out of bed bleary eyed and his hair a mane of tangles, he walked into the kitchen to find that Nat was already ready to start his day. A black apron protected his clothes as he cooked. When he finally noticed Edd, Nat smiled and wished him a good morning. They ate in relative silence. Edd was not accustomed to company in the mornings so it was strange to try to talk so soon after waking up and Nat did not push him. It was nice to have someone to cook for again.

After finishing his meal and Nat refused to let him help clean up, Edd went to get ready himself. A quick shower woke Edd up properly. He was surprised how well he slept in Nat’s bed. Being unacquainted with the notion of sharing a bed with another, Edd thought he would spend the night tossing and turning, trying to find a comfortable position. But his night with Kevin showed that his seemed to sleep better with someone close by. It was an odd notion truly.

Nat and Edd drove to class together, talking about the reading they would go over in class today. It was focused on some earlier experiments that Edd did not know about. It was rare to find something that Edd did not know about but Nat was pretty knowledgeable on the subject having read about it in a previous class. The discussion rather lively and by the time they had reached to school Edd had a better understanding but it was still a little strange to him. Class went well, the professor repeating all that Nat had told him with a little more detail and a short video on Schrödinger’s cat and Pavlov’s dog.

When the lecture was over, Nat walked Edd to the bus stop and told him Kevin would be waiting for him when he got to school. When Edd was asleep, Nat swiped his phone and texted Kevin. It took a while for the other boy to respond but they came up with a kind of protection plan for Edd. At first, Edd was a little annoyed that Nat went through his phone but his explanation was valid. He did not want to be caught alone again with Daniel.

The red headed jock stood at the bus stop with his hands in his pockets. He scanned the group of people getting off the bus with a frown until the two boys made eye contact. Kevin smiled and walked to meet Edd as he disembarked.

“Greeting and salutations Kevin, how has your morning been so far?”

Kevin snorted. “Getting abruptly woken up by ten texts is not my favorite way to start the morning. How did Nat get my number anyways?”

“He went through my phone while I was sleeping.” Edd frowned, still a little irritated about the invasion of his personal space. “I apologize for Nat awaking you so early.”

Rolling his eyes, Kevin put his arm around Edd’s shoulders. “It’s all good. I was thinking about making a plan like this but I didn’t know if Eddy already made one.”

_That’s right,_ Edd thought. _The last time Kevin saw me, Eddy was dragging my away. Did I ever text afterwards? Oh dear, he must think me so rude!_

Suddenly the school loomed in front of them and Edd’s heart started beating faster. Somewhere in that building was Daniel. The thought of the jock made Edd’s arm hairs stand on end and his brain made him relive that night. Kevin could see the conflict rolling in Edd’s blue eyes. Looking around quickly, Kevin pulled Edd off the sidewalk, in the woods that separated the school from a nearby neighborhood.

Kevin looked down at Edd with a worried expression. “Look, don’t beat yourself up for any of this, okay? None of this is your fault and if you aren’t ready to come back to school we can just head to my house.”

“No,” Edd said, shaking his head. “I can’t let him control my life. School is something I enjoy and I don’t want him to take that from me. I just… it is normal to have anxiety about a building? It’s not rational to look at the school and to feel fear. The building itself has done nothing to me so why should I fear it?”

Kevin took Edd’s hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “You have a little PTSD from the attack, nothing more. It’s not silly. It’s your body’s trying to protect itself. Just take deep breaths and you will be fine, I promise.”

His words made Edd stomach flutter in the most pleasant way. Kevin was someone that Edd could count on, someone he could trust. He believed every word that came out of the ginger’s mouth and felt as ease with their hands linked together.

Taking a deep breath, Edd smiled up at Kevin. “Let us go to study hall before we are late.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is so short. I feel bad for not updating this story in a while but I think I got my groove back finally. More chapters to come!


	18. Yoga Pants

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all!! I hope you all are having a good day. I love my spring break so far. Hopefully I will be able to update more for you guys since I have a lot of free time. Thanks for all the wonderful comments.   
> Love Eden

The rest of the week went the same for Edd, bouncing between friends so that he never had a moment alone. Nat picked him up for class and accompanied him to the bus stop. Kevin or Eddy met him at the bus stop and walked him to class. Ed pitched in when he remembered. The ginger and the shortest Ed took turns walking him to class or to his locker. There was a rotation started between Kevin, Eddy, and Nat so that someone was always hanging out with Edd after school. Of the three, Kevin was the only one without a job so he was always over at Edd’s house.

It was Friday and Kevin was off on some sports trip for a game. Eddy had to work that afternoon so it was Nat who spent the evening with Edd. Nat had been busy most afternoons due to work so this was the first time since their sleep over at Nat’s apartment that they were truly alone together. When the teal haired boy drove up to the house, he had to take a calming breath before knocking on Edd’s front door. There was a yell from the other side of the door that sounded like ‘about damn time’ and Nat took a step off the stoop just in time for Eddy to swing open the front door. The short Ed wore a black shirt with the logo of an auto shop and blue jeans that seemed permanently stained with motor oil. A frown was set deep into his face.

“About time Nat,” Eddy growled. “I have work in like 10 minutes and I may be late now because of you.”

Nat shrugged. “Sorry, traffic from the city was pretty bad ‘cus it’s Friday. It won’t happen again, dude.”

Huffing, Eddy muttered something rude under his breath and walked to his car. A sigh turned Nat’s attention back to the front door. Edd stood leaning against the door frame. An oversized shirt hung slightly off one shoulder and black athletic pants that looked strangely like yoga pants. His beanie was nowhere to be seen, a hair tie keeping most of his thick, black hair out of his face.

“I do apologize for Eddy. He loses his temper too easily and it’s been that way since our youth.” Edd motioned for Nat to come inside. “I have some snacks prepared if you are hungry.”

Nat smiled down at Edd. “Lead the way.”

As Edd turned to the kitchen, Nat stared at Edd butt.

_Dear lord, he is wearing yoga pants._ Nat’s face heated up and he stared at the floor as he followed Edd into the kitchen. _Why is he wearing yoga pants?_

Edd noticed that Nat was rather uneasy as he took a seat at the table, grabbing a sandwich and immediately stuffing it into his mouth. He thought it was odd that his companion was not looking at him but was completely focused on the floor. Was there a scuff on the floor that Edd had not noticed or had Eddy dropped some crumbs on the floor before leaving? Standing next to Nat, Edd looked at the same spot but found no defect.

“Is there a reason that the floor is so interesting?” Edd asked innocently.

Nat snapped to attention. “Uh- no it’s just- you know…”

“No I do not know the reason for your intense stare and I can tell something is bothering you. What’s on your mind Nat?”

_Damn why is he so persistent today?_ Nat wondered as he struggled to meet Edd’s eyes.

“I’m just having some… issues right now.” Nat crossed his legs as the image of Edd’s ass in yoga pants popped up again. This could get awkward quickly if Nat couldn’t calm down his hormones. He already said that he would romance Edd but a boner would kill that notion quickly and make their friendship rather awkward.

Edd looked puzzled and leaned back on the counter closest to him which only made things worse for Nat because the counter was just the right height for Edd’s butt to sit on the surface. The emphasis made his jeans tighten a little. He had to tell Edd the truth before he looked like a lusty teenage boy.

“Well, I noticed something when I came in and it’s making me a little… awkward.”

Edd motioned for Nat to elaborate. A blush took over most of Nat’s face and it even travelled to the tips of his ears. How could he tell Edd without looking like an old perv? It also made it awkward that Edd was not aware of how he looked in yoga pants. He was acting casual as he stood there. How could he not know that the yoga pants were like a second skin? Nat felt a nose bleed coming on when he say that the tight fabric also emphasized Edd’s crotch.

_Ohmygod, please tell me that he is wearing underwear._ Nat felt like his whole body was burning up. He covered his eyes with his hands to stop him from staring. If he could not see it, maybe his boner would go away. _Yes, that sounded like a good plan. I’ll just close my eyes._  

“God this is awkward… your wearing yoga pants.” There, he finally said it.

Edd watched Nat un-cross and re-cross his legs before it finally dawned on him. While he had become accustomed to the athletic wear, he did not think of its affects on those around him. Suddenly, Edd felt very exposed. He tugged his shirt down over his crotch and a blush bloomed across his face.

“It’s not that you look bad in them- no it’s quite the opposite really. I mean- damn I’ve never seen a guy pull off skin tight pants like you.” Nat rambled as he saw Edd’s reaction as he pulled his hands from his face. “I am trying to be on my best behavior and here you are showing off-”

Edd walked forward and put a hand over Nat’s mouth to stop the word flow. “I apologize for my… pants and will change. I did not mean to… tempt you. Now if you will excuse me.”

Fleeing the kitchen, Edd ran to his room and slammed the door behind him. Embarrassment and an emotion he was not familiar with made his whole body hot. He leaned against the door and tried to calm his racing heart. Nat’s words rung in Edd’s ears over and over again. He cursed himself over and over for choosing to wear his yoga pants today. Eddy was comfortable with him wearing them so he did not think that Nat would have a problem with it. But it had caused a different problem than Edd had expected. There was a flash of lust in Nat’s eyes that made Edd weak in the knees.

After he calmed down, Edd changed into a pair of baggy gym shorts and headed back downstairs. Nat had moved to the living room and was reading. When he heard Edd coming down the stairs he looked up and smiled as if their awkward moment in the kitchen had not happened. Edd smiled back and played along, knowing it was for the best.

They spent the rest of the evening in each other’s company, reading, doing homework, and watching a little television to pass the time. Edd looked at the clock and was shock about how late it was. He was usually in bed by at least 10 on Fridays but the clock read midnight. Nat was yawning and his head bobbed every so often.

“I think it is time that I head home.” Nat said through a yawn. “I got work in the morning but we should hang out again this weekend. Maybe go see another movie.”

Edd smiled. “I would love that.”

After Nat packed up, Edd walked him out to his car. It was getting colder every night and Edd shivered, unprepared for the temperature change. Warm arms wrapped around him. Nat engulfed Edd in a tight hug and placed his chin on the shorter boy’s head. Breathing in deep, Nat smiled. He liked the way that Edd’s hair smelled. He had noticed the scent as they were lying in bed together. It was a fresh smell without being too feminine, reminding Nat of crisp spring afternoons. If he could, Nat could bury his face in Edd’s locks and never resurface. But he had to pull away, for now.

A light kiss from Nat made Edd’s heart flutter.

“I’ll see you later,” Nat smiled and got into his car.

Edd stood watching the car until it vanished around a corner. His hand rose to his lips, gently touching him as if Nat’s kiss would leave a trace. If he was not so tired, Edd would feel giddy. That night Edd dreamed of warm embraces and feather like kisses.

* * *

 

 The sun rose slowly, waking Kevin as the beams of light slowly migrated across his pillow. Groaning, Kevin flipped over onto his stomach. His poor, sore muscles complained at the movement. Being the quarterback had its downfalls. Last night’s game was rather brutal. The opposing team was just as good as his team. Kevin lost track of how many times he got tackled by some large player of their defense. He tired to soak his tired muscles before bed but he could not stay in the tub long or he would fall asleep in the warm water. He had done that once before and woke up waterlogged the following morning. It was not a comfortable feeling at all.

Kevin lay still for a few more minutes but he could not go back to sleep. Sighing, he sat up and stretched slowly. His muscles burned at the pull as he leaned forward to touch his toes. The clock on his desk read 7:02 am in harsh, red digital numbers. As he sat back up and he looked at the white house across the way. He wondered if Edd was up yet and decided to shot him a text. Since it was Saturday, Kevin had nothing planned and someone needed to keep an eye of the smart Ed.

**Kevin: Good morning, I hope I am not waking you up too early.**

It was not long before Kevin’s phone buzzed indicating a new message.

_Edd: Good morning to you as well. Do not worry about waking me. I have been up for a little while now. Would you like to come over for breakfast?_

**Kevin: I will never turn down food. I’ll be over in 5.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it’s short. I wanted to give Kevin his own chapter with Edd. I should be updating later tonight so you guys won’t have to wait too long for some cute KevEdd stuff.


	19. A Walk in the Park

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome back!! I hope you guys enjoyed the yoga pants chapter. I thought it was rather funny. I’ll be updating again soon. I have literally done nothing other than eat, sleep, and write the past two days. I needed this nice break to write. Writing for you guys is relaxing. Hope you enjoy the chapter!  
> Love Eden

Edd hummed to himself as he pushed the eggs around the pan. Cooking was something that soothed him. He loved when he was able to cook for other people. When his parents are home, Edd always has a new recipe for them to try. Mother always praised him for his culinary skills and Father would give him a nod in recognition. It made Edd’s chest swell with pride.

Remembering that Kevin liked his pancakes, Edd set to making them after the eggs were done and set on the table. A knock on the front door indicated a visitor. Setting the pan on a cool part of the stove, Edd went to answer the door. Kevin stood with his hands in his pockets and a smile on his face. Discarding his shoes next to the door, the ginger followed Edd back into the kitchen.

“Cool, your making pancakes again.” Kevin said, taking a seat on a counter close to Edd.

Edd blushed. “I recalled that you enjoyed them last time so I am making them again.”

“Rad,” Kevin smiled.

They sat in relative silence as Edd finished up the pancakes. A timer dinged and Edd pulled biscuits out of the oven. Kevin’s mouth was salivating by the smells that wafted from the now set table. Both boys filled their plates and dug in. Kevin, who was usually starving the day after games, ate to his heart’s content. Edd nibbled on a few pancakes and a biscuit as he watched his companion practically inhale his food at an inhuman pace. Usually Edd was all about table manners but the happiness on Kevin’s face kept the nerd from saying anything.

Edd turned to Kevin. “So what do you want to do today?”

“We could spend all day cuddling in bed.” Kevin said, smiling mischievously.

A light blush heated up Edd’s face and his heart jumped into his throat. His first instinct was to say yes. Strangely enough, he missed the physical contact of another person. Nat had kept Edd at arm’s length after his declaration of romance. There were touches and rare kisses between them but there was something delightful about the way Edd’s body reacted to the slightest touch from Kevin. Kevin was warm and the way he smelled made Edd’s head light. They had spent a lot of time together over the past week. There was light flirting and cuddling late into the night as they watched movies. In Kevin’s arms, Edd felt alive like he had felt before.

Edd swallowed hard. “As lovely as that sounds, it would be a waste of a lovely day outside. The weather forecast makes it a perfect day to go to the park. I could use a little vitamin D and the walk will help ease your sore muscles.”

Kevin groaned at the mention of his soreness. He had forgotten about it up until Edd brought it up and his muscles flared with annoyance once again.

“Fine,” Kevin pouted. “But I want to cuddle later as a reward.”

* * *

 

 Since it was still early in the day, Peach Creek Park was no busy. There were a few mothers taking their children to the play group but the other half of the large park was empty. The basketball player usually showed up after lunch for a few pickup games. There was a tennis court but most of the player preferred the country club that was down the road because the courts were better taken care of.

Edd was right, today was the perfect day for a walk. It had been a while since Kevin had come to the park. When he was younger, Kevin played sports at the rec center that was attached to the park. There were a lot of good childhood memories here of playing football and baseball. Ever since he started playing on the school teams, Kevin had not come back to the park.

Edd lead the way along the walking path that wove in and out of the woods that surrounded the park. Early morning sunlight filtered through the trees, casting beautiful shadows across the worn path. When Kevin and Edd were out of sight of the other park-goers, Kevin threaded his hand through Edd’s. Their hands swung between them and their shoulders bumped every few steps. A comfortable silence hung between them. They both knew that silence was not a bad thing. It kept them from rambling on about nothing. They could appreciate the things around them and choose specific things to talk about.

Every so often, Edd would point out a plant or flower or bug and tell Kevin its scientific name and other fun facts. It did not feel like learning to Kevin and he thought Edd looked cute as he explained what each thing was. He could not get enough of the nerd’s voice or his smile. Hell, Kevin would listen to Edd read the dictionary just to hear his voice.

“Oh, they have the water area turned on!” Edd smiled and pulled Kevin towards the water park that was just outside the woods, back in the park area. “I thought they would have turned it off for the season.”

The boys sat on a nearby bench, watching the mini water show that came from the ground. There was a soft whistling sound that came before the water shot out of the ground like a small geyser. For a short time the jets of water came in staccato bursts. The water barely reaching the ground before the next jet erupted, the two colliding for a brief moment before falling back to earth. Edd was mesmerized by the show.

When Edd looked over to say something to Kevin, he saw a grin spread across Kevin’s face that could only mean trouble. Standing, Kevin grabbed Edd’s hand and pulled him towards the jets of water. Edd made a noise that was the mix of a laugh and a yelp as he struggles against Kevin’s grip. The geysers of water popped up at synchronized intervals. Kevin had been paying attention to the sequence before pulling Edd to his feet.

“Kevin, we will get soaked if we enter the water park!” Edd squealed. “I did not bring anything to dry us so I would rather stay away from the-”

Timing it just right, Kevin stepped through a gap in the circle of water, pulling Edd with him. The break in the water made it so that neither of them got wet. Stumbling forward, Edd fell into Kevin’s arms. At that moment, all the geysers shot up at the same time, encircling the two boys. Little drops of water splattered across Edd’s face, cold and refreshing against his warm cheeks. Kevin’s arms closed around Edd’s waist, pulling them flush against each other. Their hearts pounded against their rib cage in a strangely comforting rhythm that both boys could feel.

“Hey Edd,” Kevin whispered.

Edd looked up and Kevin’s lips crashed against his. Edd could taste the strawberry lip balm that Kevin had put on at some point, flavoring the kiss. It made Edd’s stomach flutter as he wrapped his arms around Kevin’s neck so he could deepen the kiss. The taste of strawberries filled his mouth in the most pleasant way possible. Kevin nipped lightly at his lower lip. Parting his lips slightly, Edd’s tongue collided with Kevin’s. The two boys were on cloud nine as they explored each other’s mouth for the first time. If Edd had not been so enthralled with the kiss, he would have worried about germs but the ginger kissing him pushed all rational thought from his mind. The kiss was all consuming and Edd felt like he could wrap himself in the warmth of the kiss.

Kevin was the first to break apart, smiling down at Edd. “I could kiss you all day but I don’t want to stand in the middle of a park for people to gawk at us.”

Suddenly self-conscious, Edd looked around to see if anyone was close by. The park was clear but a tingle at the back of his neck made Edd nervous. Had a person seen them in passing? Edd knew there was a lot of judgment in society about such displays of affect between two people of the same gender. Kevin was a star athlete in the public eye. Most of the town knew him on sight. The town was very religious and they could turn on one of their members at the drop of a hat.

_What could something like this do to his reputation?_ Edd thought as he took a step back from Kevin.

The ginger jock was not paying attention to the other boy as he tried to time their escape from the circle of water. It was not until they were half way across the park that he noticed that Edd was lost in deep contemplation. The look in his eyes told Kevin that whatever he was thinking about was not pleasant. Kevin wondered if he had done something to offend Edd. Was the French kiss a little too much? Kevin knew that Edd had a thing about germs and tongue to tongue contact might not have been a good idea. He wanted to reach out and take the dark haired boy’s hand but they were hidden deep in his pockets.

Sighing, Kevin would find out what was going on once they got back to Edd’s house. He didn’t want to cause a scene in the middle of the park now that more people were present. That would only further push Edd into whatever hole he was digging in his mind. So for now, Kevin stayed quiet as they headed back to the cul-de-sac.

* * *

 

 Amanda Roth furiously scrolled through her phone as she stepped out from the woods. She had come to the park to walk her dog. As she had come from the forest, she say two people standing in the water park locked in a passionate kiss. At first, Amanda didn’t care but a flash of bright red hair caught her attention. Like most of the girls at her high school, Amanda had a crush on Kevin Barr. For a moment she was jealous of the girl lip locked with the jock until she recognized that the girl wasn’t a girl at all. It was the nerd Eddward Vincent. Shocked, Amanda snapped a few pictures and hide until the couple left.

Amanda put her phone up to her ear waiting for the line to be picked up. With every ring, Amanda’s smile spread. This was such juicy gossip and she was the first to see it. She would be at the center of all conversations once Monday came around. People would ask to see the pictures. Her lunch table would be full and buzzing. It would be like she was the gossip queen, if only for a week or so. Maybe she would become more popular than Nazz.

“This better be good,” someone growled on the other end of the line.

“Guess who I just saw sucking face with Eddward Vincent.” Amanda giggled.

Across town, Daniel sat up in bed, an evil smile on his face. “Go on…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was actually at the park today. I was inspired by fountain for the little kiss between Kevin and Edd. I usually keep a journal on me for such occasions. It’s pretty beat up and it’s almost full. Good thing I work in a book store with a lovely selection of journals.


	20. The Drawing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greeting and salutations! Sorry it took so long to post a new chapter. I have been swamped with papers and midterms that I barely had time to do any personal writing. I will hopefully be posting more often between now and finals. I wrote more than usual to apologize for the delays.  
> Love Eden

Kevin sat down in his seat with a huff. Nazz, who was sitting next to him, gave him a confused look. It was Tuesday and Kevin seemed to be in a funk since the weekend. When they hung out together Sunday, the ginger kept checking his phone and spacing out. Nazz was starting to get worried at his deflated attitude.

“I swear to god if you sigh again I am going to punch you.” Nazz frowned. “You’ve been walking around like there is a rain cloud following you. Spill or I hit you until you do.”

Kevin rubbed his face. “It’s just… Edd has been pulling away from me since Saturday. I don’t know what I did wrong and he won’t talk to me for more than a few minutes. That Nat guy has been hanging around him more often. I feel like I am losing him, Nazz.”

“I’m sorry dude,” Nazz put a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “Rejection is rough.”

Kevin grunted and put his head down on his desk. The wood felt cool against his cheek. There were so many emotions swirling around in his head and he just wanted a moment of peace from it all. How could one dork leave him in such a state? Edd _was_ important but the way the small boy was treating him was unfair.

“Why don’t you try to win him back?” Nazz suggested as she rubbed Kevin’s back. “You still haven’t drawn that picture of Edd right? Why don’t you sketch it during one of your classes, put a cute note on the back and leave it in his locker to find at the end of the day?”

Kevin deflated a little more. “I’m not good at writing ‘cute’ notes, Nazz. I may draw okay but I can’t write for crap.”  

It was true. Kevin had tried his hand at poetry and most read like children’s poems. Once, he wrote a poem for a girl he was crushing on. It was so bad that whenever a member of the girls’ volley ball team passed him in the hall they would break out into a fit of giggles. That lasted for almost a month before they got bored of it. After that, Kevin swore off cute notes.

Nazz smiled softly. “Okay, how about you write how you felt when you took that picture of Edd in the butterfly enclosure. Let you emotions guide your hand dude. Even if it’s not Shakespeare material, it will be from the heart and that’s what really matters in the end. Now stop moping and get to drawing. I’ll let you borrow my notes while you are otherwise occupied.” 

* * *

 

Edd chewed on the end of his pen as he looked at the worksheet due at the end of class. The material was something he knows and understands but the answers evacuated his mind every time he reached for them. It was as if his knowledge grew wings and took flight like scared bird, leaving him to flounder. Edd couldn’t bear to imagine not turning in a class assignment. He never failed to complete school work. Anxiety blossomed in his chest making his heart beat like a trapped humming bird.

A certain ginger occupied most of his grey matter, setting into every fold and crease of his brain. Those green eyes and his lopsided smirk kept coming to the surface. Edd tried everything to get Kevin off his mind but to no avail. All the fears and worries from the park kept Kevin at arms length. But where it worked physically in keeping the ginger away, there was no relief mentally. Edd avoided being alone with Kevin and the hurt in the jock’s eyes made Edd’s chest constrict. It was almost too painful but Edd kept telling himself that all of this was for Kevin. Edd would do anything to protect Kevin.

“Is everything well smart-Edd-boy?” Rolf looked concerned. “You aren’t transcribing the answers with your normal fervor.”

Edd forced a polite smile. “I am fine Rolf, thank you for your concern.”

Rolf, the immigrant son-of-a-shepherd, was very astute at sensing human emotions. There were a few times in the past where Rolf was able to see through Edd’s front to his silent suffering. Everyone, even Ed and Eddy, could not see what was going on with Edd but Rolf saw through the façade that Edd had built over the years. It was eerie at times. But the boy only meant well every time he showed concern for Edd.

“You do not have to tell Rolf a fib, Edd-boy. I can see the confused herd of goats storming around in your large noggin. Do you wish to unload the herd on the son of a shepherd? I know a thing or two about goats.”

Edd chewed on his lip, weighing the options before him. Rolf usually gave sound advice, even if it seemed strange at times. He had a strange vocabulary that hinted at his foreign nature. Dialog with Rolf was usually stimulating for Edd, who had grown accustom to the word choices of their generation. While Edd trusted Rolf, it did not feel it was his place to out Kevin before he was ready.

“There is a certain… individual that I find myself attracted to but I am worried about disturbing their social statues. They have such a bright future ahead of them but I do not want to disturb that future. It makes me nervous, their social standing.” Edd was very careful is avoiding gender specific pronouns.

“Are they aware of your nerves?”

Shaking his head, Edd frowned. “I do not want to put any pressure on them.”

Rolf hummed softly and tapped his chin thoughtfully. “If you don’t talk with this person about your fears and worries, you aren’t giving them any say in the matter. By not getting them have a say in your combined future, are you really being honest with yourself or them? If you really are important to them, they won’t care about the status divide.”

Edd was taken aback by Rolf’s words. There was a clarifying truth to everything he said and he was right. By not telling Kevin his worries, Edd was deciding for him instead of asking him what he wanted. Was Kevin willing to expose himself to ridicule for him? Would he lose scholarships if colleges found out his sexual orientation? It was become more accepted in society to be open about homosexuality and bisexuality but there were still a few powerful people holding on to the old ways. Edd knew that a few colleges from anti-gay states were looking to recruit Kevin for football and baseball. If anyone found out that Kevin was involved with another guy, all his dreams could vanish in a puff of smoke.

But that was up to Kevin. It’s his future after all.

“It seems that the herd has found another pasture.” Rolf smiled and turned back to his own work.

At the end of class, Edd turned in his completed assignment with a lighter conscious. 

* * *

 

 

Daniel was talking to a few of his teammates when Steven, one of Daniel’s grunts, appeared at the edge of the group. The smile on his face meant he had something. Sunday, Daniel had called up a few of his underlings to keep an eye on the hidden couple. The photo from the park made his phone heavy in his pocket. But he was weighing his options for the best way to take down Kevin and getting Edd all to himself.

“Hey guys, I’ll talk to you guy later. I need to get something from my locker before class.” Daniel smiled.

Steven followed Daniel, keeping his mouth shut until they were out of sight. Daniel liked keeping his darker side hidden from most of his teammates. The less people that knew the less people there were to rat him out later. He had learned to trust only a handful of people and he instilled fear in them so much so that they would never turn on him.

When they were alone, Daniel turned on Steven. “Speak and it better be good.”

Steven smiled like he had won the lottery. “Well, you put me on the Double Dork detail and I saw something fishy. After Edd got done at this locker, I noticed Kevin at the end of the hallway, hiding in the crowd. He went to Edd’s locker after he left and stuck this to it.”

The smaller boy handed Daniel a sealed envelope. It was heavier than a normal note. Without a second thought, Daniel popped the seal and withdrew a piece of thick, unlined paper, the kind that came from sketch books in the art room. Unfolding it, Daniel scanned the sheet and a smile curled onto his face.

“Oh this _is_ good,” Daniel muttered before turning back to Steven. “I have another job for you.” 

* * *

 

 The final bell rang and students flooded from classrooms into the hallways. All of the chatter was focused on one thing, football season. So far, the Peach Creek team was undefeated and people expected them to go all the way to state. There was a big game coming up at the end of the week against one of their rival schools. If they won this game, it would further push the team to staying undefeated. It was a matter of pride for the boys and the coaches. Their skills put their little town on the map.

Edd wove through the crowd, apologizing as whenever he collided with another student. When he got close to his locker, he saw something tapped to the outside of it. He looked around and pulled it off the locker gently, not wanting to tear anything. There was nothing written on the outside of the envelope. It looked as if the envelope was once sealed and re-opened, the person possibly reusing an available envelope. There were two pieces of paper inside, one an average sheet of paper and a thick, unlined drawing sheet of paper. Edd decided to take the nicer looking one out first.

Edd almost dropped the paper when he opened it. He recognized the boy sitting among a flurry of butterflies, smiles so wide that the gap in his teeth was visible. The piece had sense of youth and joy to it. There was shading in all the right places, added dimension to the scene. Ever since Kevin had taken Edd to the museum, Edd had become drawn to art. Whoever drew this had so much talent. There was a delicate smoothness to the lines, no hesitations. Edd could hardly believe that he was looking at himself.

While the drawing was beautiful, the note below was written with what Edd could only call chicken scratch, just dreadful. He was use to decoding Ed’s horrid handwriting when helping with homework so it did not take long for Edd to decipher it.

_Edd,_

_In that moment, you stole my breath with your beauty. Your presence is like the warmth from the sun after a long winter. I seek out our warmth because it recharges my soul. When you are gone, I am lost. I hope to bask in your beauty once more._

 

There was no name at the end of the note but the picture was evidence enough really. Only one person saw him at the butterfly exhibit, the one who took him there. Did Kevin draw this or did he have someone else draw it for him? Those who like art were more likely to create art themselves. It was not likely that someone else drew it because that meant that Kevin had to supply a photo as reference. Every passing moment concreted Kevin’s skills.

Something nagged at him suddenly. If Kevin’s note was on the drawing, what was the second paper then? He pulled out the other sheet and opened it. The handwriting was different then Kevin’s.

_What an adorable little drawing. Kevin has such a pure heart that I almost shed a tear. He is no poet, that’s for sure. It’s cute that he tried though. I hope the little doodle is accurate because I want to feel that long hair knotted in my fist. Here’s what’s going to happen, you are going to keep avoiding Kevin and I want you to also stay away from that teal-haired fag. No one touches you other than me. I want to watch Kevin crumble under your rejection like a heartbroken school girl. It will be a wonderful show. I’ll see you soon, my little bitch._

Edd barely made it to the bathroom before emptying the contents of his stomach.


	21. Why Should I Care?

Kevin just got done with a good football practice. The team was in good spirits about the upcoming game against their rival school. Sweaty boys joked and chatted happily as they headed to the locker room. A few of Kevin's teammates clapped him on his back and talked about drills they ran.

"Yo Kev," one of his teammates called out. "You got a note taped to your locker! I think it's from a _girl_."

Boys crowded around his gym locker, looking at the note. Kevin had to push through them to get to it. His name was written on the outside in beautiful cursive that was familiar. Smiling, he pulled it free and made a shooing motion to the crowd around them. He didn't need them to know about Edd, not yet. A plan was forming in his mind to help ease them into the public eye but he was nowhere close to having a full plan.

_**Dearest Kevin,** _

_**I was enthralled by how lovely your portrait of me in the butterfly exhibit was. Your skill is magnificent and thank you for making that moment last forever. We have gotten very close recently and I am grateful for your help with Daniel.** _

_**Unfortunately, I cannot continue down this road with you. I have become close with Nat and we are thinking about starting a relationship. I am sorry to leave you like this, knowing your feelings towards me, but I feel like it would be better if we gave one another distance. You have seen how possessive Nat is about me. I would like to soothe his jealously so taking a step back from our friendship, at least for now. I do not wish to cause you any discomfort by seeing the two of you together so I am asking you to cut ties with me and not to contact Nat. I will reach out to you when I am ready.** _

_**I wish you all the luck in the world, Kevin. I hope you will forgive me but I will understand if you do not forgive me.** _

_**Eddward** _

Kevin sat slowly onto the bench in front of his locker. The weight of Edd's words settled on his chest like a boulder. How could he have not seen what was going on between Nat and Edd? They spent a lot of time together recently. Edd called Nat, not Kevin, when Daniel assaulted him. If Kevin hadn't seen Daniel, Kevin and Edd's friendship would not have reached this level.

If you were to ask any of the guys in that locker room what happened, they would have said some girl had ripped out Kevin Barr's heart and ground it to oblivion.

* * *

Whenever anyone asked why Daniel looked so happy, he just shrugged and said, "I've just had been having good luck lately."

Daniel walked around the halls of Peach Creek High like he owned it. The other students took notice, attracted to his charismatic attitude. Girls flocked to him life flies to honey. The attention he was drawing gave him a power high. But what really made him feel powerful was standing at the end of a specific hall to watch a certain ginger fall apart.

Kevin kept stealing sad looks at Edd as if he was willing the dork to look at him. Edd kept his head down as he rummaged through his locker. Ever since Edd had cut ties with Kevin, Edd had followed his instructions very closely. It was obvious to Kevin, as well as Daniel, that the dork was avoiding the jock and it fueled Daniel. Kevin's pain was sweet on his tongue.

The student body noticed a shift in the football captain's demeanor. He was supposed to be pumped about the game on Friday but he was walking around with his head down, talking to no one other than Nazz. The coaches were getting worried that Kevin would have a negative impact on his teammates when he should be rallying them.

_I won,_ Daniel thought with a wicked smirk.

* * *

Nazz watched Kevin stab his lunch again without actually eating anything. The food had become a large, destroyed mess on his tray.

"Dude, I think it's dead." She sighed.

The ginger shrugged but didn't stop the assault on is food. It was easy to tell that Kevin's mind was not in the lunch room. Most of his teammates that usually ate lunch with him bailed after he didn't laugh along with them about some stupid show.

Nazz hooked her finger on Kevin's tray and pulled it out of his reach. "If you don't tell me what's going on in that thick skull of yours, I'm going to beat it out of you."

He didn't look at her, just chewed on the inside of his cheek. Ever since yesterday, Kevin had not talked about what happened. It was sitting heavy in his chest, making it hard to concentrate on anything. But, Nazz's light touch on his clench fist cleared the fog for a moment.

"H-he won't talk to me…"

Nazz frowned. "Who won't talk to you?"

Looking up, Kevin finally made eye contact with his oldest friend, pain blooming in his green eyes. "Edd won't talk to me. I gave him the drawing and it exploded in my face. He won't even look at me when I pass him in hallway. I think I fucked up Nazz."

It was painful for Nazz to watch her best friend fold in on himself. The last few months have been difficult and confusing for Kevin and Nazz was there to witness it all. She felt slightly responsible for the whole drawing situation, having suggested it in the first place. It seemed to be the straw that broke the beanie-wearing camel's back.

Kevin's shoulders shook slightly and Nazz knew what was about to happen. Grabbing their stuff and Kevin's hand, Nazz fled from the cafeteria, ginger in tow. The student body did not want to see their football captain completely fall apart. It would raise questions that Nazz knew Kevin was not ready to answer.

The tears come, fast and hot, running down freckled cheeks. He pressed his lips together hard to trap the sobs bubbling in his chest. A teacher they passed raised an eyebrow but the look Nazz gave told the teacher to mind his own business. The teacher looked away and went back to what he was doing.

When they finally made it to an empty classroom, Kevin came apart at the seams. Nazz directed him towards a chair. He collapsed in the seat like an old rag doll. His broad shoulders rose and fell in erratic spasms. Tear soaked, Kevin hid his face in his hands, muffling his sobs as if he was behind a wall of glass.

"I can't- I don't know how to deal with this Nazz." Kevin said through gasping hiccups. "I feel like my heart is crumbling. I put myself, my heart, in his hands and he threw it away for some guy he just met."

Nazz rubbed his back gently. "I know it sucks to watch someone you like choose someone else. It's scary to be open with someone but that is the only way to see if there is anything there to build a relationship on. But if he rejected you, you have to move on Kevin because he has. If you dwell on the pain, it will only hurt you, not Edd. If Double D doesn't see how rad you are than screw him. You deserve to be happy."

Kevin started to calm down slowly, much to Nazz's relief.

"You need to take care of yourself and dwelling on Edd will get you nowhere." Her voice was gentle and soothing.

Kevin knew she was right. He had two options in front of him. One, he could stay in this dark place of heart break. That would only bring about pain. Two, he pick up the pieces and went on with his life. That would be difficult but it was better than wallowing in something he could not change. He knew that Edd wouldn't change his mind. It was beyond his control but he was in control of himself. His heart was wounded but why should it have him hiding away in a classroom.

"You're right. If he doesn't care, why should I?"

 


	22. Game Day

Daniel never expected what happened next in the halls of Peach Creek High School. While waiting for another sad puppy moment between Kevin and his dork, Daniel was surprised to see Kevin walking down the hall surrounded by his teammates, laughing. The cloud of sadness that followed Edd's rejection was gone completely. It irked Daniel that is wasn't affecting Kevin anymore but then he saw the look on Edd's face.

The dork's face went from confusion to recognition and finally to deep sense of grief. He stared at the group of jocks as they passed by. For a moment, Kevin locked eyes with Edd. Daniel inhaled sharply, waiting to see what would happen. This was the first time that Edd acknowledged Kevin's existence since the beginning of the week.

It was Kevin who broke the contact first, showing no sign of recognition. He disappeared around the corner without a glance back at the shaking raven haired boy. Edd seemed stuck to the floor, tension anchoring his fail body to reality. The hallway was clearing out quickly but Edd did not move. Instead, he looked at the placed that Kevin had vanished as if he could not comprehend what just happened. Daniel took advantage of Edd's moment of vulnerability.

"Poor dork, looks like Kevin didn't care about you as much as you thought." Daniel whispered in Edd's ear.

To Edd's credit, he did not jump away from his tormentor. The pain of Kevin's disregard for him made Edd's body and mind numb. What changed to make Kevin so aloof?

"I guess not," Edd croaked, his voice brittle with unshed tears.

The pain that tore through Edd was like a fresh bouquet of flowers to Daniel. It had been a while since he had witnessed such emotional pain, one he was the cause of for that matter. It took all of Daniel's will power not to do something rash in such a public place. He did not want to recreate his past mistakes that got him landed in Peach Creek in the first place.

Looking around quickly, Daniel grabbed Edd's arm and pulled him into a nearby restroom. He pushed Edd farther in, locking the door behind him. Edd stumbles and slammed his hip into a sink. Daniel smiled when he realized no one else was in the bathroom. When Edd realized what was going on, he tried to get as far away from Daniel as possible.

"I did what you asked Daniel. I told Kevin that I could not continue our friendship. I told him I was seeing someone. I haven't contacted him since so please don't hurt me." Edd pleaded.

Daniel smiled and slowly cornered Edd. "You did very well, Edd. Kevin's pain was beautiful but your pain is magnificent."

Trapping Edd between his arms, Daniel leaned in close, his nose almost touching Edd's. Fear constricted Edd's chest making his breathing erratic. His cyan eyes mirrored the terror that was overwhelming his entire body. Dipping his head into the crook of Edd's neck, Daniel breathed in deeply.

"Well, if you told Kevin you got a boyfriend, let me help sell that." Daniel muttered before latching on to Edd's neck.

Edd cried out and tried to push Daniel off. In response, Daniel pinned Edd to the wall, his pelvis pressed against Edd's. There was no space between them now. Daniel showed some restraint, not biting him as hard as before. This was meant to look like it had been done by a lover, not an attacker. The feel of Edd's skin between Daniel's teeth was unlike anything Daniel had ever experienced. He could feel Edd's pulses under his lips.

While Edd was occupied, Daniel slipped a hand under Edd's beanie. The inky locks wound around his fingers. Daniel had never felt hair this soft before, even when he played with girls' hair. The beanie was discarded and Daniel took a good look at the boy trapped in front of him. Edd's hair framed his face, his silver patch pale in the light. His already feminine features softened with his hair down, making his eyes even more vibrant. Daniel sucked in a breath as stared at Edd.

Something inside Daniel snapped. His lips crashed against Edd's with bruising force. A hand knotted in Edd's hair, pushing him closer to Daniel. Edd whimpered and tried to claw his way free. The situation was spiraling out of control, towards something that Edd did not want.

A banging on the door finally got Daniel to let go of Edd. They both looked at the locked door, one in hope and the other in annoyance.

"Someone just had to spoil my fun," Daniel frowned, shaking his head before turning back to Edd. "Oh well, let's pick this back up tonight. I'll drop by your place so leave the front door open for me."

Daniel said the last part with a wink, before escaping to the hallway.

* * *

 

The football coaches were ecstatic to see Kevin back to his usual happy self. With the game being that afternoon, they were worried that they would have to pull in the second string quarter back and bench the ginger. Word got to the men quickly from a few of the players that Kevin had bounced back. There was a small pep rally in the cafeteria during lunch with the football players standing proudly and the cheerleaders bouncing around to the music from the drum line. Kevin even gave a little speech, which drove the student body crazy with school spirit.

He hadn't seen Edd since that morning and he was struggling with himself. The look in Edd's eyes sent a sharp pain through Kevin's chest but he had to remind himself of Edd's decision and his own choice in the matter. Only time and distance could quell the pain in his heart.

The football game was intense. Kevin had to think quick on his feet for most of the game. A few of his teammates got injured but Peach Creek paid them back in full by taking out their wide receiver. The team had a little scare after a particularly rough tackle of their star quarterback. It took Kevin a few minutes to catch his breath after the large linebacker knocked the wind out of him. The crowd cheered when Kevin got up and continued playing. The score was pretty even throughout the game until Kevin scored two touchdowns in a row. After that, the opposing team lost their moral and the game belonged to Peach Creek.

When the buzzer sounded to end the game, the Peach Creek crowd erupted into cheers and some even ran onto the field. Kevin was beaming as Nazz slammed into him, hugging him tightly. She had to yell to tell him congratulations.

"Dude, there is a few college scouts here. They all looked super impressed with your rad skills." She pointed over at a few older men talking to the Kevin's head coach. "I wouldn't be surprised if they are fighting over you right now."

Kevin laughed. "I'll take whichever one gives me the most money for school, or maybe the one farthest from Peach Creek."

Nazz looked at Kevin out of the corner of her eye. A somber expression fell across his face and he kept searching the crowd for someone. Nazz could tell that today was rough on him. After their little chat, Nazz noticed Kevin had put up a facade of happiness when he was actually still hurting. Today was a good step forward, focusing on the game and keeping the team hyped up. Nazz knew the healing process would take a while but it's a start.

"Hey Shovelchin!"

Kevin whipped his head towards the source of the insult. Eddy stood fuming in the entrance to the fence that separated the crowd from the field. Looking around, Eddy indicated that they needed to talk in private. Nazz had not seen or heard Eddy. Kevin told her something about finding his parents and escaped the crowded field. After hoping the fence, Kevin followed Eddy back towards the school.

When they were finally alone, Eddy turned on Kevin fast. "What the fuck did you to sock head? I saw the huge hickey you left on his neck and he got all quiet when I asked about it. He didn't get all red so I know something's wrong. I tried to call him but he isn't picking up."

"For your information, I didn't need that hickey so get your facts straight. I haven't even talked to the dork since this weekend." Kevin frowned. "On Tuesday I got a lovely note from him saying that he wanted me to leave him alone so I am just complying."

Eddy looked skeptical. "Then how did he get the hickey?"

"Probably from his boyfriend," Kevin snorted.

"Boyfriend?" Eddy said confused.

Kevin scowled. "Yeah, that Nat guy who Edd goes to college with. Edd told me to back off because he didn't want our friendship- or whatever we had- to interfere with his new relationship."

"Dude, Edd hasn't talked to or seen Nat since last week. On Monday, Edd told me about Nat was that they were going to be friends, nothing more."

For a moment, neither of them talked. Confusion was a common factor between them at that instance. Something was wrong, very wrong. The sun had set during the game and a light chill settled.

Eddy was the first to move. Pulling out his phone, he sifted through his contacted, clicked on someone, and put it on speaker phone as it rang. Whoever was on the other end did not pick up quickly. 

_**Ring...** _

_**Ring...** _

_**Ring...** _

_**Ring...** _

_**Ring..** _

_**Rin-** _

"Hey Eddy, what's up? I am work right now so make it quick."

It was Nat.

"Have you heard from Edd recently?" Eddy asked, frowning.

Nat snorted on the other end. "Nah, I got this weird text Tuesday. He said he started seeing Kevin and that Kevin was jealous of me hanging around so I had to give them some space. He didn't tell you that?"

"Dude, I got Kevin with me right now. He just said that Edd told him you guys were dating."

"Hey Nat," Kevin interjected. "I have a bad feeling about this. It's not like the dork would lie to all of us like this. Eddy said he saw a hickey on Edd's neck."

There was a long pause but Kevin finally realized what was going on.

"Daniel," Kevin muttered.

Without thinking, Kevin started running.


	23. Consequences

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SO SORRY! I FORGOT I WAS POSTING TO THIS SITE AS WELL.  
>  I AM A TERRIBLE HUMAN BEING FOR LEAVING YOU GUYS LIKE THIS.   
> PLEASE FORGIVE ME AND I WILL UPLOAD EVERYTHING I HAVE ALREADY DONE.

Kevin's lungs burned with effort. Never in his life had he run this hard, not even during an important football game. Terror fueled his sprint down the near empty roads. The neighborhood was not that far away from the school but it seemed like a million miles. He couldn't run fast enough. His heart was lodged in his throat and dread sat heavy in his stomach. His mind was frantic, only thinking of the terrified nerd trapped by that monster.

The white house was dark and hollow with an empty driveway. For a second, Kevin hoped that he would barge in, startling Edd, and they would laugh it off. It could have been a coincidence. Things could be just fine and the ginger was just paranoid.

Kevin bound up to the front door. From the road, it looked closed but, upon closer inspection, it was slightly open. All the hope that Kevin had built up vanished and the dread returned. The living room was a mess; a stark difference to what Kevin was use to. Edd would freak out when he saw it later.

If he saw it later, his brain betrayed him with terrible thought.

The destruction made a path from the living room into the kitchen then up the stairs towards Edd's room. There was a long scratch down the hall, starting at the stairs and all the way to Edd's door. The score could have only been made by a knife being dragged as someone walked calmly. That kind of destruction was cold and calculated, a predator stalking an injured prey. Daniel was insane.

There was no noise coming from Edd's room. That silence could have many outcomes, none of which Kevin liked. He tried to stay away from the darkest thought. His footsteps were muffled by the plush carpet. If Daniel was still here, Kevin did not want him to know he was also in the house. The element of surprise would be on his side. Maybe he was not too late to save Edd from that animal.

Kevin stood in the doorway to Edd's room, his feet unable to move past there. The first thing he noticed was the blood. Edd's room was full of light colors making the rusted red stand out. It was on the bed, the walls, and his precious things. Kevin had watched a lot of crime shows and the amount of blood present was not a good sign. How much blood could the human body loose before death? Kevin couldn't remember.

What scared Kevin the most was that Edd was missing. The bed was ruffled but empty. Daniel had taken Edd somewhere or he was hiding. A frantic search of the house turned up empty as well. At some point Kevin was running through the house calling Edd's name as loud as he could. He found himself standing in the living room breathing hard. The yelling made his throat raw. Silence was the only thing that answered him.

The phone rang on a nearby table. It was a land line that Kevin never really noticed. He stared at it, unsure of what to do. The answering machine picked up.

"Hello? You there yet?"

Kevin's blood ran cold. It was Daniel on the other end.

"I have been calling every fifteen minutes, hoping to catch you. Sorry I left the house in such poor condition. I am not the tidiest person. Edd, on the other hand, was so distressed about the mess, poor kid. He was in such a state that I just couldn't leave him alone. Don't worry I will take very good care of my dork. If you wish to see him, we are unwinding in the junkyard. Hope to see you soon, Kevin."

Daniel was waiting for Kevin to show up, taunting him with messages. Judging by how many messages was left and if Daniel wasn't lying about the durations of the calls, Daniel left the Vincent residence a little over an hour ago. Who knows what else he could have done to Edd in that hour. The junkyard, their childhood hang out spot, being the destination was foreboding.

Digging his phone from his pocket, Kevin saw that there were a few missed calls, voicemails and about fifty texts. He ignored them and scrolled through his contacts. Back up would be helpful right now. His sprint had been fueled by fear but his next move needed to be more level headed. Knowing Daniel, he would keep Edd alive to control Kevin.

Eddy picked up almost immediately. "It's great to hear your stupid voice, shovel-chin. Did you get a hold of sock head?"

Kevin had to clear this throat a few times before his voice finally worked. "Daniel's got him. I went to Edd's house and he left a message. They are at the junkyard. Eddy, we need to go get him."

"Keep your cool Kevin. We will get him back and he will be annoying us with bacteria facts in no time. After you ran off like you left the oven on, I went to work coming up with a plan. Now, get the rocks out of your ears and listen up…"

It was cold at the junkyard. Edd huddled in the old van that held so many good memories from when he was younger. All of them were soured by the presence of Daniel. He sat off the open back door, playing with the knife that made Edd's skin crawl. The cuts on his arms, legs, and chest throbbed painfully. He had not been able to clean them before Daniel dragged him out of the house. His OCD and fear of germs grated his nerves. All he wanted was to clean his wounds and take a long bath. His hat had been left at the house as well. His hair was wild, sticking out at odd angles. But it seemed that Daniel was after something more by dragging him here.

"Daniel, please let me go." Edd sobbed. "I won't tell anyone about this. I can take care of myself with no need to go to the hospital. Everything you have asked of me, I have complied. You ask me to abandon Kevin and I did indeed. You ask me to leave my door unlocked and I let you into my home. I do not know what else you want of me."

Daniel laughed at the genius behind him. "Don't be so self centered Edd. This is not all about you. There is a certain red haired football player that I want to see. You most likely want to see him as well don't you. It didn't take you long at all before you went all goo-goo eyed for the school's golden boy. It wouldn't surprise me if you already crawled into bed with him. I heard that Kevin isn't picky with his lays. They just opened their legs like whores. Are you one of his whores now?"

Anger stirred in Daniel's eyes as he talked. He turned toward Edd the more he spoke, crawling across the old water bed. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he approached. Weight displaced the water, jostling Edd from his corner. Daniel grabbed his ankle and dragged the panicking boy towards him. After wrestling for a while, Daniel pinned Edd under him. He ripped his shirt using the slashes he made with his knife. There was a hungry look in Daniel's eyes as he looked down at his dork.

His head dipped down and his teeth grazed Edd's collar bone. At first it was gentle, prodding but it quickly turned rough. Cries from the pinned boy only pushed Daniel. He only stopped when he tasted blood, knowing not to give Edd enough pain to cause him to pass out. They were still waiting for Kevin and Daniel needed Edd to be awake for the next part.

"Daniel!"

The two boys froze. Edd's eyes light up and Daniel growled. Kevin had the best or worst timing depending on which boy you asked. The jock strolled into the pool of light that the lonely lamp post cast. The van was at the edge of that light. Daniel rolled out of the decrepit car.

"Well, look who finally joined the party. Took you long enough," Daniel smirked.

Kevin frowned. "Cut the crap. Where is Edd?"

Daniel disappeared back into the van and dragged Edd out by his hair. "Here he is, mostly in one piece. Are you glad to see your white knight Edd?"

Edd tried to get up and run to Kevin, to the safety he knew Kevin had. Daniel hooked his arm Edd's waist and pulled him close. The blood from his bite was rolling down Edd's chest, smearing in the struggle.

"Let him go," Kevin growled.

"Beg." Daniel sneered.

Kevin frowned deepened. "What?"

Daniel took out his knife and pressed it against the soft skin of Edd's neck. Kevin froze and Edd started to cry. Things were getting out of control quickly. Kevin took a deep breath and held up his hands.

"Please let him go, Daniel. Let him go and you can have me. Isn't that this is all about? You have been watching me ever since you came to Peach Creek. Don't think I didn't notice, dude." Kevin took a step towards them. "At every game, you watched me like a hawk, always frowning. You dated my ex-girlfriends and tried to get close to my friends. Just because you were the top dog at your old school doesn't mean that Peach Creek High is yours. None of the students belong to you. Edd does not belong to you. Your beef is with me, Daniel. Man up and stop hiding behind other people."

Daniel's face turned a dark shade of scarlet. The knife trembled in his hand, dangerously close to Edd's exposed neck. How had he not seen Kevin watching him? What he said was true but the words still stung Daniel's ego.

"What makes you so special?" Daniel spat. "You walk around the halls like everyone should be happy just to be in your presence. All the girls and now boys-"

He tightened his grip on Edd.

"All of them worship the ground you walk on. It makes me sick that a guy with rocks for brains is treated like a king. I am better than you in every way, smarter, faster, and better looking. The students are too stupid to see it. That's what happens when you grow up in this back water town. Who names a town after a fruit and a stream?"

"You are sick, thinking so highly of yourself. Everyone has the freedom to choose who they admire and who they fear. It is not my fault you didn't end up on the brighter side of it all. And maybe you're stuck up big city life made you unable to see that, blinded by all the fakeness around you. Edd is a person, not a plaything that you can use without consequence. What happens to you if this gets out?"

There was silence for a moment as Daniel chewed on the inside of his cheek. Kevin could tell what he said shook him a little. It was working. All he had to do was keep Daniel talking. Eddy would do the rest. All he had to do was keep him talking.

"You don't know anything about my life. And If I want to keep Edd for whatever I please, I will. I will add to the bites and the bruises I've already given him. And there is nothing you can do about it, not if you don't want your little secret out."

Daniel pulled a photo out of his pocket and threw it at Kevin's feet. The image of Edd and Kevin lip locked in the park fountain stared up at him. All the pieces started to fall together. Daniel was blackmailing Edd with this. It pulled Edd and Kevin apart. It made Edd forever a victim and tore Kevin's heart to shreds.

"So you are going to blackmail me and Edd to keep your power?" Kevin asked evenly, his voice strong.

Daniel looked confused. "That's the plan yes."

Kevin looked over his shoulder, towards a pile of scrap. He whistled loudly, startling Edd and Daniel. From the shadows, the kids from the cul-de-sac stepped out. Eddy held a camera, pointed directly at Daniel and Edd. The little red light turned off and he tucked away the camera. He swaggered forward and stood next to Kevin. Ed was frowning and stood on the other side. The other kids stood in a semi circle.

"Looks like your little scheme fell through and I know how that feels." Eddy put his hands in his pockets. "Well I got all of the conversation recorded. The back water cops will enjoy your little show."

Panic filled Daniel and his grip on Edd loosened enough for him to slip away. He ran straight into Kevin's arms. Someone draped a coat over his shoulders. Their friends surrounded him, shielding the pair from Daniel.

Eddy stood at the head of the group. "Let me tell you what is going to happen, Daniel. I am going to take this to the cops and you won't stop me. You will be arrested for aggravated assault, kidnapping, and blackmail. You will be sent to Peach Creek Prison, which is not very nice. My brother, who I have become close to in the past few years, is spending a little time there for buying some stolen stuff. He has become pretty popular and has a lot of friends. Once I tell him what you did to Edd, my best friend, you will never have a moment of peace as you serve out your sentence. You could go into protection but you will be alone for days at a time. That is the future waiting for you. Now, I recommend that you run home and hide under bed until the cops come for you."

Eddy made a shooing motion with his hands. Daniel dropped his knife and ran as fast as he could, tripping every so often. The group watched him go, knowing he had nowhere to run. He would get what was coming to him, years of the same kind of torment he subjected Edd to. It was the best payback for what he did.

"Is is really over?" Edd asked quietly, his face buried in Kevin's shirt.

Kevin kissed the top of Edd head and smoothed his hair. "It's over. The tape with be enough evidence against him. You will have to go to the station with us tomorrow but we are here for you. Nothing will happen to you. I'll keep you safe."

Edd could have collapsed from relief at Kevin's words. Daniel would never hurt him again. Kevin knew now that Edd didn't want to push him away. He was blackmailed. It wasn't his fault. Everything was going to be okay.

"Okay, break it up lover boys." Eddy gagged. "We should probably head to Edd's house. It needs a good cleaning and Edd needs some clothes."

The group agreed and they walked to the cul-de-sac. They chatted loudly, talked about ordering pizza and staying the night with Edd. They could all go to the police together to support their frail friend. In the center of the group, Edd and Kevin walked hand-in-hand all the way back.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting another chapter because I feel really bad. On the other site I use, I've already wrapped it up. I'm sorry I left you guys hanging there but I hope the ending is satisfying. Sorry again!

Kevin stayed by Edd's side for the next few days. He sat in the police station as Edd gave his statement and had to tell his story over and over again to the police and the district attorney. The jock stood by his side as he was taken to the hospital to be checked out. The deeper cuts were stitched and the other cuts were cleaned. Edd had already cleaned them the night before but the nurse kept fussing so he let her clean them again.

Daniel tried to flee the city but the cops caught up to him once his parents gave them permission to activate the cars built in GPS. He gave a good twenty minute chase that ended up on the evening news. Kevin's favorite part was watching the scumbag get yanked out his high end sports car and slammed hard against the ground. Daniel's face was still black and blue when he was arraigned.

There was no trial since the video was evidence enough to convict. Not even the stupid expensive lawyer that Daniel's parents got him could refute the video. Edd also turned in the note that Daniel left in his locker paired with Kevin's drawing. And after a long talk with the DA, the shortest Ed convinced the DA that everything that Daniel did was a hate crime. All of it could be traced back to Edd being homosexual. This would add many years to Daniel's sentence in the end, which is what the scammer was hoping for. Eddy's brother would make sure every waking moment of that kid's stay in jail. It all worked out in the end.

Edd fiddled with his coffee cup, trying to calm his nerves. Kevin was helping his dad with his car so he was not able to come to the meeting. It had been a while since Edd had been alone with Nat. He kept his distance since the night of the attack.

Unknown to Edd, the teal haired boy watched them interact in the hospital. The love between them was so apparent that Nat felt like his heart withered. Not wanting to interrupt their moment together, Nat left without saying anything at all.

But Kevin had caught a glimpse of Nat leaving. It was easy to see how Nat felt about Edd and Kevin felt sorry for him. So, the next day Kevin sent Nat an update on Edd's condition and the case against Daniel. At first, Nat didn't know how to respond though the update was much appreciated since he wasn't able to talk to Edd at the hospital. All he could really think of to say was thank you. They texted back and forth over the next few days before Nat finally admitted that he wanted to see Edd but it felt like he was interfering with his life if he did. It took a lot of convincing from Kevin to get Nat to text Edd. Nat was surprised at how quickly Edd responded and they set up a meet at the local coffee shop near where Nat worked.

It was pretty busy at the coffee shop so Edd didn't see Nat walk in at first. He was adding another packet of sugar to his latte. Nat hung back, knowing Edd was caught up in his own little world. The bruises had faded to a soft yellow, barely noticeable to those not looking too hard at him. His hat was nowhere to seen, the mass of hair pulled back into a ponytail. Nat's heart skipped at beat with how good he looked.

Green eyes looked up and locked onto Nat, drawing him into the depths of his soul. Edd smiled his dimples cutting valleys into his cheeks. A blush spread across Nat's face knowing that he got caught staring. He weaved in and out of the crowd before plopping into the chair across from Edd.

"Hey," Nat said sheepishly. "You look good."

"Why thank you Nat," Edd smiled. "How have you been? It has been quite a while since we have seen one another."

Nat sat back in his seat, stretching his legs out under the table. "Other then you giving me a heart attack, I've been okay. Work has been keeping me busy and school fills most of my time now. You're missed in psychology by the way. Even the professor asked how you were doing."

Edd cringed a little. He had hoped that this whole ordeal would fly under the radar but one of the local newspapers caught wind of it and it soon became state news. Somehow part of Eddy's video ended up online. Edd suspected that Eddy sold it to someone for a quick buck but his short friend swears it wasn't him. Now his story was out for the whole world to see. This also brought an influx of people to his house, bring gifts and food. He had not cooked him the news came out because someone was always dropping off food.

When the news reached his parents, they found a house keeper to come and check up on him and make sure the house was clean. His parent's blamed themselves for leaving him alone so often and promised that the next time they came home that they would stay longer. Edd tried to convince them that it was unnecessary since he would be going away for college soon anyways but they would not listen. The house keeper had already cleaned and dusted their room for their return.

"I wish what happened had not made the news." Edd frowned. "Every time I listen to the radio or watch television, the case is always a topic of discussion. Kevin has done well to keep me away from them but sometimes it is unavoidable. Reporters and journalists still call the house asking for an interview. I even got an offer from some popular morning show that is seen nationally to tell my story. Eddy keeps telling me to take the offer since it comes with a payday but I don't know if I would be able to tell the story live without freaking out."

Nat reached across the table and put his hand over Edd's hand. "You don't have to do anything you don't feel comfortable with. It's your life, not Eddy's. And I'm sorry it drew so much unwanted attention but Daniel's dad is a well known guy so it was bound to happen."

Before everything had happened with Daniel, Edd had no clue who Daniel's dad was. Come to find out, he was a CEO of a financial firm who had his hand in almost every business account in Peach Creek and the surrounding areas. He was one of the most powerful men in the area. It was rumored that he was also one of the most corrupt men in the area as well. Now his name was getting dragged through the mud because of what his son did.

"Is it true that another boy came forward saying that he was also assaulted by Daniel?" Nat asked, frowning.

Edd nodded. "Yeah, once the story broke he came to visit me. At first I was wary of him thinking he wanted attention but once we sat and talked I knew it was true. All the little things that Daniel did, he knew about them. When Daniel had almost got caught beating him up, the poor boy was paid to stay quiet. I am glad now that he can finally heal from his whole ordeal."

"Daniel won't be hurting anyone else." Nat said confidently. "From what I heard, Eddy's brother is going to take care of him."

Edd rolled his eyes. "Why is it that most of my friends are glad for the pain Eddy's brother will inflict upon Daniel? Kevin has this wicked grin whenever he is talking about it or thinking of it. You don't even want to know what Nazz does when she talks about it."

"We are all just happy that he is getting what he deserves. Is that so wrong?" Nat smiled sweetly.

"No but you guys don't have to take so much pleasure in it, even if he does deserve it. His life is over with the conviction. Jobs will be hard to come by and it will follow him for the rest of his life. I am satisfied with that fact. The pain inflicted will last for a short time but this will stay with him." Edd calmly took a sip of his latte.

"Damn Edd," Nat laughed. "That is evil thinking."

Edd shrugged. "It is not really 'evil thinking' really. It is just the harsh truth of the matter. If you break the law, there are consequences that stay with you for the rest of your life. Eddy is trying to convince a judge to put him on the sexual offenders list too. No physical violence will ever be more damaging than that."

"I'm surprised you're talking all of this so well. If I was in your shoes, I would need therapy or something." Nat ran his hands through his hair.

"Oh, I have been seeing someone for that. My parents thought it would be best to talk through my traumatic events with a medical professional. I have gone three times so far and it has helped. If it wasn't for Kevin's support, I do not know if I would have made it through the first week."

Edd got this faraway look in his eyes as he thought of Kevin. The expression was beautiful to Nat; one he hoped that one day someone would have thinking about him.

Smiling softly, Nat said. "You love him, don't you?"

That pulled Edd from his thoughts. "To be honest, I do not know. I never really knew what love was. Growing up, my parents were always gone so I never experience parental love. I don't know if what I am feeling is love or not. But whatever it is, I never want to be without it again."


	25. Chapter 25

Kevin was sitting on Edd's front steps when he got home. His red hair was slightly tussled, meaning he had run his hands through it many times. Edd noticed Kevin doing that a lot, messing with his hair absentmindedly. It was cute.

"How was coffee with Nat?" Kevin asked as he casually strolled over to Edd.

Edd wrapped his arms around Kevin's waist, a familiar touch started not too long ago. Ever since they walked home from the junk yard, the two boys had been a lot more physically affectionate with one another, holding hands and cuddling often. They had not gone past innocent affection yet and Edd was thankful for that. He still had nightmares about Daniel near sexual assault. There were a few times that Kevin had to wake him up because it got so bad at times. Having Kevin sleep in the same bed as him helped keep the nightmares at bay for the most part.

"It was fine. We just talked a little, catching up on events mostly. He's doing well and he said my psychology class sends their regards. I wish we could have talked longer but he had work. How was assisting your father?"

Kevin wrapped Edd in a hug and set his chin on top of his head. "It was okay, I guess. The yard needed work and mom's car needed an oil change. And don't worry I showered before I came over so I'm not all gross and sweaty."

"That was thoughtful of you." Edd said, his voice muffled since his face was buried in Kevin's chest.

Kevin pulled back a little from Edd. "Wanna watch a really bad sci-fi move and you can explain how wrong the science is?"

Edd laughed. That has also become one of their normal activities. After Edd had turned in Daniel and he didn't feel like going out, Kevin brought over a B-rated space movie to pass the time. He didn't realize that those kinds of movies sent Edd into full rant mode. Over the course of the movie, Kevin learned about the long distance science of space travel and how it was close to being a real thing.

While Kevin went to set up the movie, Edd went to the kitchen for snacks. He grabbed apples and cheese for him, cookies for Kevin's sweet tooth, and popcorn for the both of them. He put them on his serving tray and grabbed two waters out of the fridge since Kevin needed to stay hydrated for all the sports related things he did. Edd had talked Kevin into giving up carbonated beverages as it only hindered his performance on the field.

"It's ready so get your cute butt in here!" Kevin called from the living room, causing Edd to blush.

The tray was put on the coffee table and the food was distributed between them. Kevin shoved two cookies in his mouth then drank half of his water. Edd laughed and nibbled delicately on his cheese slice. They both shuffled on the couch a little until they were sitting hip to hip and Kevin's arm was around Edd's shoulders. Edd rested his head on Kevin's shoulder as the movie intro started in an almost star war's like style with the floating paragraphs. It started off as most science fiction movies do. Edd couldn't help but point out all the flaws in the science and math that was brought up.

"If they did their research properly, they could do it right. If I can read and understand physics so can anyone." Edd huffed.

Kevin laughed. "Not everyone is as smart as you are, dork. The only reason I would be able to pass physics class is if you were my tutor."

"I am a pretty good tutor." Edd said smiling.

Nuzzling his neck, Kevin chuckled. "Oh, I believe you, dork. You will be the first person I call if I ever need tutoring."

Kevin hadn't shaved for the past few days so his stubble tickled Edd's neck. He squealed and tried to get away but Kevin had a tight grip around his waist. The jock knew what he was doing but ignored Edd giggling pleas to stop his tickling. Edd thrashed about, giggling and squirming. Taking advantage of Edd's erratic movements, Kevin pulled Edd into his lap.

"Got you," Kevin whispered breathily in Edd's ear.

A shiver ran through Edd. Heat bounced between them as they both stilled for a moment, breathing in their closeness. Hands brushed bare skin and their breath intermingled as they were almost nose to nose. Edd could smell Kevin's cologne, deep and earthy. He always liked the way the ginger smelled, like dirt after summer rain. If he could wrap himself in that sent for the rest of eternity, Edd would do it without hesitation.

Ever since Nat asked him if he loved Kevin, Edd could not get the question out of his head. In this moment, he could feel that warm spot in him swelling so much that he felt like he was going to burst. It was like having a sun living inside him that flashed a solar flare when Kevin was near him, touching him. The warmth kept him going when the darkness of the nightmares threatened to overwhelm him.

"Kevin, what does love feel like?" Edd whispered so quietly that Kevin almost didn't hear him.

Kevin leaned his head back and his brow furrowed in concentration. "Love… it is hard to explain. It's slightly different from person to person. But what I do know, when you meet a person you love it's like coming home."

"Is it a warm feeling that comes from here?" Edd rested his hand over Kevin's heart. "Is it a warmth that wants to consume every inch of your body and mind when a specific person is around?"

Kevin put his hand over Edd's hand. "It's the best warmth a person can feel."

Edd took a deep breath and let it out slowly, knowing what he wanted to say. "I feel that warmth whenever you are around me, Kevin."

A small gasp passed Kevin's lips. He opened his mouth and closed it. There was a disconnect between his thoughts and him tongue. In that moment, Edd leaned in and kissed Kevin so gently that Kevin swore he could feel Edd's love coming from the soft brush of his lips. Kevin met his gentleness with intensity. He drew Edd tight against his chest and deepened the kiss. Edd arms draped over Kevin's shoulders, his fingers tracing the definition of the muscles under his shirt. Shifting slightly but not breaking lip contact, Edd straddled Kevin's lap.

"Be mine," Kevin said between kisses. "Say you will be mine."

Edd kissed Kevin's nose and smiled. "I thought you would never ask."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The End.  
> I hope you guys have enjoyed Finding a Life. It was a pleasure and a joy for me to write this and hear all of your wonderful feedback. You guys are the best!


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